


The Forest For The Trees

by whyidontknow1



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Bottom Louis, Eventual Smut, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Happy Ending, LITERALLY, Louis has sort of a memory problem, M/M, Top Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 22:46:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 30,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whyidontknow1/pseuds/whyidontknow1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis and Harry had the ultimate roommates and best friends with benefits relationship until Harry suddenly ends the benefits part, shocking and breaking Louis' heart in the process. He’s fallen in love with Harry, but is too scared to tell his best friend the truth because he just does not do first moves.</p>
<p>In the spirit of unrequited love, and with a little help from Harry’s mother, Louis decides to set Harry up on a series of horrible blind dates, hoping his roommate will see dating is too much trouble and come back to him. In the end things don’t go as planned and Louis ends up sabotaging the one date he shouldn’t have. It turns out that Harry's a bit of a sneak too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Forest For The Trees

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. This happened pretty quickly after watching the movie _Mr. Wonderful_ and apparently I can’t write anything under 20,000 words which is what I planned on this being. Errors are mine.
> 
> 2\. In this Harry and Louis are the same age, and Eleanor is about four years older.
> 
> 3\. Have no clue about the British university system or how their fire departments work so don’t expect anything realistic in those areas.
> 
> 4\. I apologize in advance to any Nick Grimshaw fans. Not really because he made fun of Louis throwing up.
> 
> 5\. If you’re still here I hope you enjoy.

“Are you sure they’re a proper fit?”

Harry is turned with his back to Louis, holding up the shirt he has on so that Louis has a clear view of his small but very toned bum in the black skinny jeans that look painted on. The question like all the others Harry's already asked as he prepares for the so called date of his dreams rip Louis’ insides apart, but he does a good job of hiding it as he continues to watch his best friend and roommate get ready for his date.

At one particular low point Louis thinks grown men absolutely do not cry, and on most days Louis qualifies as a grown man so he's not going to cry like a baby because of the shit pile that is his life right now. He's also not going to drown his sorrows in a tub of tequila because he's reached an all-time low, and no his heart is definitely not breaking because Harry's about to go on a date with one of the nicest and fittest blokes in all of London to Harry’s words, _“take things to the next level.”_

Okay, that’s a load of bullshit because there's more than a good possibility that Louis will cry when Harry finally leaves for his date. There’s probably an even greater chance that he’ll imbibe in a little (probably a lot) of the tequila hidden in the top drawer of his nightstand, and if he were prone to telling the truth, Louis would admit that his heart is breaking.

Shit.

The thing is, Louis is honest with himself if no one else, so yes his heart is breaking into a million tiny itty bitty little pieces, and the reason for it is standing in front of him asking if his bloody jeans are too tight.

“The jeans are perfect, Harry.” Louis reassures his best friend for at least the fourth time. It’s not like he’s telling a lie.

The jeans really are perfect on Harry. They look like they were tailored to fit, and although Louis would much rather tell the amazing freak of nature standing in front of him that the jeans look like crap on him, he can’t because but he’d be telling a useless lie. Harry could wear a potato sack and he’d still look like belonged on the cover of _GQ_.

So like all best friends, pals, mates, roomies, dudes, and anyone else who's ever had to hide their unreturned feelings, Louis continues to reassure his best friend and object of his undying love that he looks gorgeous. “Li, won’t be able to resist you.”

Li being Liam Payne, fireman extraordinaire, extremely good looking, exceptionally fit, generous beyond belief, and the owner of a pair brown eyes so welcoming and warm they make you feel like you’re wrapped under a cozy blanket when you stare into them. Liam is so genuinely generous and caring that Louis can’t even dislike him even though he'd really like to.

“He’s a lucky man, Haz,” Louis winks at Harry's reflection in the mirror, smiling despite the pain eating a hole in his stomach, and for a brief second it looks like Harry’s eyes are sad as he smiles back, but it's so quick Louis thinks it was his imagination.

“No, I’m the lucky one, mate. I couldn’t have planned tonight for anyone more special and deserving,” Harry replies, keeping their eyes connected only long enough for Louis wonders if he's actually trying to murder him with words, and keeping in line with his already disastrous night, _If You Leave_ by OMD starts playing on Harry’s IPod.

Louis would love to laugh at that song of all songs coming on right now, but laughter is as about far out of his reach as Harry is right now. It really stings hard because Louis wasn't lying when he said Liam was a lucky man.

Up until three months ago Louis was the lucky one, and it’s killing him that he knows just how lucky Liam is going to be before the night is over with. Louis knows how demanding of a lover Harry is. He knows firsthand knows how giving and considerate Harry is to the person he’s having sex with. Not anymore though.

It’s over, and right now Louis has no choice but to grin and accept the fact that he and Harry will never make their way back to being friends with benefits.

\----

They agreed from the beginning of the arrangement that either one of them could bow out whenever they wanted to, no questions asked, but truth be told Louis never would have bowed out. Minus Harry not loving him back it was the deal of his dreams, and for a while things were going along great. Better than great, but out of the blue Harry decided for both of them that it was time to end it.

This after a spectacular round of mind blowing will you marry me it was so good sex, because as Harry put it, “I think it’s time for us to spread our wings and meet other people since we’re living together now.”

Who in the actual fuck still uses words like _spread our wings_ besides Harry frigging Styles.

Louis had still been on a cloud of post coital bliss when Harry decided to share the brilliant piece of profoundness, and it took him a few minutes to process the words. He finally responded with a barely audible, “You met someone?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I just think that since we’re living together now things could eventually get awkward, especially when one of us actually does become interested in someone else,” Harry yawned at the end of the explanation. He fucking yawned before turning to look intently at a still processing Louis. “I'm right aren’t I?” he asked, more subdued that he’d been when he had given his explanation.

Louis didn't know how to answer without giving himself away so he agreed. “I can see where there might be problems,” he responded because he really could see where Harry was coming from, but he was still stunned by the timing of the announcement.

Louis was under the impression their arrangement was turning into something more, and for the first time in his life he was getting ready to take make the first move. He had seriously been preparing to tell Harry that he was in love with him.

What a way to find out that Harry didn’t feel the same way.

\----

“I’m not sure about the shirt either, Lou,” Harry pulls Louis back to the present, looking down at the black silk shirt with white hearts dotting all over it.

“It’s wonderful, Haz, and so are you. Just stop with your worrying, okay. Li, won’t know what hit him.”

Liam will literally be blindsided at how good Harry looks tonight. Just like Louis hadn’t known what hit him the day he met Harry.

\----

On that fateful afternoon, a little over two years ago, Louis and Harry were both just beginning their third year of university at Middlesex College. Louis’ love of acting had led him to pursue a degree in drama, and since his second year he had been sharing a dorm room with Zayn Malik, an art major from Bradford, England.

Liam wasn't a student at Middlesex when Zayn and Louis met him. He was already working as a junior fireman, choosing to complete the six months training course instead of going to college. Apparently it was a family tradition.

Zayn met the hunk of a firefighter when the students in his visual arts class were given an extra credit assignment to do portraits of the city’s first responders. Ironically Liam was Zayn’s fourth choice, but because his first three selections had already been snapped up by other students, he ended up just closing his eyes and choosing the first name his finger landed on.

Lucky for Louis it was Liam. He had the time of his life watching in amazement as the normally unfazed Zayn became this flustered and awkward version of himself whenever Liam sat for his portrait.

Unfortunately, the junior firefighter appeared to be blind to how infatuated Zayn was with him. Still didn’t stop the two of them from becoming thick as thieves, and Louis had suspected, the association didn’t end with the completion of the painting. Liam's constant presence in the dorm room naturally led to him becoming the only other person besides Zayn that Louis considered a close friend.

That day he met Harry he was sitting on the greens in front of his dorm, enjoying a rare day of September sunlight, when a very tall stranger literally fell into his lap. Louis could only stare in bemusement while the obviously embarrassed boy scrambled of his thighs, apologizing profusely the entire time.

Once Harry had settled beside him on the ground, Louis accepted the apology by extending his hand, and he introduced himself while looking into a pair of the greenest eyes he'd ever seen.

A blushing Harry latched onto the outstretched hand, but instead of getting up to leave, he stayed on the ground, returning the introduction with a brilliant smile.

Their friendship was pretty much a go from that point on.

Harry explained that he had been taking pictures of the campus' historical buildings for the university newspaper, and Louis’ dorm just happened to be one of those buildings. For Louis the curly haired photographer turned to be the best, if somewhat clumsiest distraction to the Shakespearean Theory he had been studying for his English Lit class.

Without prompt and to Louis’ growing delight, Harry continued to share. He told Louis he was majoring in photography, that he had transferred from West Cheshire College for his final two years because of an internship he scored with the London Daily, one of the city’s largest and oldest newspapers.

With the sun warming them Harry continued to talk and Louis continued to listen, also learning that Harry was sharing with Niall Horan, a very hungry biology major from Ireland, in his second year of Uni.

When Louis was finally allowed to participate in the conversation, he didn’t hold back either, and they continued to talk until it was time for him to head off to his next class.

Louis reluctantly got up from the grass, he honestly didn't want their time to end. He was happily surprised when Harry stopped him and asked for his phone number. so, as he put it, _They could finish their conversation._

Louis had been too fascinated by Harry’s eyes and curls to really remember everything he and Harry talked about. The deep grooves in Harry’s cheeks that most people would call dimples certainly drew a good share of Louis’ attention too. Still, he had happily complied to Harry’s request. He put his phone number in Harry's phone, and he let Harry do the same with his.

That was the beginning of their friendship.

Not surprising that Harry made the first phone call, but to his credit, Louis sent the first text. They started out meeting up for drinks or catching the odd movie, but it quickly progressed to hanging out, and that eventually led them to spending almost every free minute they had together.

It was easy because they found they had a lot in common, including a love for what Harry called lazy Saturdays, where they'd spend the whole day in bed eating and watching movies.

They quickly found that they both had a passion for video games and anything Harry cooked because Louis was only good for a cuppa. For Louis, the final seal on their friendship happened the first time he tuned into a station that only played eighties love songs. Harry didn’t look at him like he was crazy for knowing every word to every song that played, and not once did he ever try to change the station after that first time. Not even when they were in his car.

It turned out to be an even trade because Louis never turned Harry down when he wanted to watch one of his romance flicks. A few months into their friendship Louis could even quote and act out entire scenes from _Love Actually_ and _Titanic._

Their fast and easy friendship led to introductions to their respective dorm mates and Liam. Louis loved Niall from the word hello. Harry’s description of the Irishman had been on point, and with Harry's instant connection with Zayn and Liam, it didn't take long before the five of them were virtually living out of each other’s pockets.

The actual friends with benefits didn't start until the night Louis caught his on and off again boyfriend playing a highly convincing game of bed hockey with his very pretty and very female chemistry lab partner.

It probably says a lot about the relationship that Louis’ first thought was that he wished Harry could see this, but by then Harry had pretty much become his first thought for everything. Ironically enough Harry was the one who introduced Louis to the twit who'd been rolling around on the bed.

\----

Right after the start of their final year Harry was asked by one of his friends to make a playlist for the campus radio station. Apparently Harry’s knowledge of indie music made him the go to person when his DJ friend decided that he needed to wake his audience up. Louis thought it was just an excuse to suck up to Harry, but he didn’t dare say that to Harry, because he whether his suspicions were true or not, he was just jealous.

On the night Harry dropped the playlist off, his friend Nick was out sick and another student DJ, Greg James, was sitting in for him. As per usual by then, Louis with Harry, and unbeknownst to him the DJ took an immediate interest in him. According to Harry, Greg pestered Nick for information about Louis, and after establishing Louis’ sexuality and whether he had a boyfriend, he turned to Harry, begging him to bring Louis back to the station for a proper introduction, and Harry did.

Louis was shocked when his best friend first broached the subject. He hadn't given the person he only said a quick hi to another thought, but that’s not really why he was thrown by the attempted set-up. Louis was mostly shocked because he was under the impression that Harry was kind of interested in him on more than a platonic level. He was just waiting for Harry to initiate the first move, but Louis quickly came to the conclusion that he must have misinterpreted the signals from Harry. Because of it he agreed to meet Greg, and he was pleasantly surprised.

The DJ who Louis hardly remembered turned out to be quite attractive with a good sense of humor. Subsequently one date led to two, and two led to five months of mostly arguing because of the Greg’s insecurities and his jealousy of Louis’ friendship with Harry. It never seemed to occur to him that if it weren’t for Harry he would've never met Louis.

Louis' last relationship ended right before he met Harry, and he spent the better part of the year waiting on Harry to make a move. Now he can admit that played a huge role in why he stayed with Greg. That, and the fact that on the best days the sex was reasonably good. At least it was when they were on good terms. When their massive arguments hadn’t led to what Louis’ friends had started to teasingly refer to as the breakups before the makeups.

In retrospect Louis knows he should've been more upset than he was seeing his boyfriend in the act of shagging someone else. He’s pretty certain the slight upset he did experience came more from the knowledge that it was a girl in Greg’s bed, and not any because of any real feelings.

Maybe even more revealing was the fact that he hadn’t had sex with Greg in more than a month. Not that Greg seemed upset about the lack of intimacy.

Louis was pretty sure he stood looking at the reason why before taking Greg’s key from his key ring and throwing it at the shocked couple who had only jumped apart at the jingling sound they keys made.

\----

Louis left Greg’s flat with a sense of freedom and no regrets. He finally had a solid reason not to take him back. Apologies couldn’t fix them this time.

When Louis walked in his dorm room, Harry was there, posing for Zayn, looking up at the ceiling. For some reason when Louis looked into the questioning green eyes of his best friend he realized that he was back at square one, waiting for someone to show some interest in him. It was too much and Louis started crying.

Harry leaped up from the stool he was perched on, and walked over to pull Louis into his arms. Not surprising Liam and Zayn joined him, hugging Louis as tightly as they could, considering it was three of them, and when Louis could finally speak, he told his friends what he’d encountered at Greg's.

That understandably led to angry insults being directed at his (for sure this time) ex, and when Zayn and Liam stepped out of the hug, Harry led Louis over to the sofa where he pulled him into a tighter embrace once they were sitting down.

Louis only half listened to the conversation going on around him. He was in Harry's arms and that was all that mattered. Everything was better in Harry's arms. He absently heard Zayn ask Harry if he was alright to stay, and only slightly paid attention to Zayn and Liam quietly leaving after getting an affirmative from Harry.

Once they were alone, Harry and Louis stayed cuddled together on the sofa for so long Louis' legs were stiff from being bent at the knees. He would've have gladly stayed in the position for much longer, but Harry finally moved to untangle their bodies. "Let’s get you to bed," he said gently, standing up and holding out his hand.

The shock at the events of the night had all but worn off, but after he stripped down to his boxers and crawled under the quilted blanket, that didn’t stop Louis from begging Harry to stay.

Considering the many many times they had slept together in the same bed before then, it shouldn’t have been an awkward request. Sure it had happened less since Louis had starting seeing Greg, but Harry had still slept over more than what could be considered normal seeing that Louis was in a relationship with another man.

He spent a good amount of time in Harry’s dorm room too, but since he and Zayn were lucky enough to have a full bathroom in theirs, they spent most of their time there. Even Niall had taken to staying over on the sofa on some weekends.

Louis and Harry also shared a bed when they spent time at each other’s family homes, so the idea of doing it one more time shouldn’t have had Harry looking uncomfortable and like he might refuse.

Something in Louis’ expression must have convinced him not to. “Not going anywhere, Lou."

Harry hurriedly stripped down to his own pants before slipping under the duvet with Louis, but he lay stiff and awkward until Louis lifted his arm and placed it over his shoulder. He needed some type of skin contact so he rested his head on his best friend’s chest, and almost instantly the stiffness left Harry’s body. He pulled Louis closer, and they lay unspeaking for who knows how long, with Harry running his hand up and down Louis’ back in a comforting motion.

Louis was almost asleep from the soothing touch when the sudden thought came to him that all those months he wasted with Greg, he should’ve been with Harry. That immediately followed by realization that he might be the tiniest bit in love with his best friend, and to Louis the thought of being in love was scary enough, but the thought of loving someone who didn’t love him back was horrifying.

For the second time that he couldn’t control the tears that pooled in his eyes and fell onto Harry’s chest.

Louis lay unmoving, willing the tears to stop. He hoped beyond hope that Harry was asleep, but his heart rate increased when he felt movement under his head.

Harry reached over to turn the bedside lamp on, and when a dim glow filled the room he reached down to lift Louis’ chin. “Louis, you can't keep doing this to yourself. Greg’s a stupid twat and not worth a single one of your tears. Everything will look better in the morning, I swear,” he tried to comfort Louis, his face creased with concern.

“It’s not that, Haz. It’s just…I just,” Louis paused because he remembered Harry didn’t feel the same way about him.

“What is it?" Harry encouraged him to finish, but Louis just shook his head. He was unwilling to risk the humiliation, and although he had dreamed about it a thousand times, Louis was unprepared for what happened next.

He absently licked at the tears that had fallen over his lips, and he watched in fascination as Harry’s eyes moved down to stare at the unintentionally seductive move. When Harry eyes moved back up to Louis' again his were dark with unmistakable desire, and he didn't hesitate before lowering his mouth.

Mesmerized, Louis could only stare in amazement as Harry’s lips moved quickly over his. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” Harry moved back abruptly, but the regret filled words is what finally shook Louis from his daze.

“Don't be sorry, and do that again. Please,” he whispered, pleading.

When Harry’s lips touched his the second time Louis was ready, and he immediately let his intent be known by tracing Harry’s bottom lip with his tongue.

Their first real kiss was gentle and soft and searching. It only intensified to passionate and needy after Louis moaned as Harry licked into his very accepting and eager mouth. Louis couldn’t control the hungry sounds escaping from his throat, and they continued like that, devouring each other’s mouths until Harry ended the kiss.

“We can’t do this, Louis. Not tonight,” Harry sounded apologetic, and a little breathless.

In his head Louis knew Harry was right. After all he did just find his boyfriend in bed with someone else. Unfortunately, Louis couldn’t get his heart and every other pulsating part of his body to agree. “Don't push me away, Harry. Just don’t," he begged because all of a sudden he wasn't above a pity shag.

When Harry lowered his head to snag Louis’ mouth again, it appeared he wasn't above giving one either.

\----

That was the first time they had sex.

Louis fantasized about having sex with Harry on too many occasions to count before that night, but the fantasies didn't come anywhere close to the reality. Besides Harry, he had only had sex with three other people, and Louis could honestly say he had never experienced anything close to what happened between him and Harry.

When it was over and Louis still hadn’t started to breathe normally, he was hungry for more. If possible he would've crawled into Harry’s body and took up residence there, but since that was a few leaps shy of reality, Louis settled for more of the gift that was Harry Styles, and thirty or so minutes later he found himself straddling Harry, riding him slowly, but determined. Then more urgently as Harry guided him with a tight grip on his hips, and when Harry pulled him down to start whispering the dirtiest words directly into his mouth, Louis came so hard he almost blacked out.

Harry followed, probably not more than a millisecond later, groaning Louis’ name over and over again as his body trembled from the force of his own release, and after settling down from their second post orgasm highs they lay side by side, holding hands in the softly lit room.

“Thank you,” Louis whispered, turning to look at Harry, and regretting his words when he saw his friend wince. Louis didn't understand why the show of gratitude would annoy Harry, and he didn’t get the chance to ask why because a few minutes later Harry got out of the bed, pulling a naked and sexually depleted Louis with him.

Louis was so exhausted he didn't even wonder if Zayn had made it back to their dorm room. He certainly didn't know where they found the strength to shower. Actually where Harry found the strength because he did the showering, washing his and Louis’ body until they were squeaky clean. Then he led Louis back to the bedroom where he stood in the middle of the room while Harry changed the soiled sheets.

After placing the duvet back on the bed Harry let the towel around his waist drop without an ounce of modesty. He pulled Louis over to the bed, helping him get settled. By the time he whispered goodnight, Louis was already fast asleep, wrapped around his best friend like they’d been sleeping naked together for years.

\----

The next morning Louis learned a second time the possible downfalls of exchanging keys with someone when Greg woke them up shouting obscenities.

When Louis lifted his head from its very comfortable position on Harry’s chest he was more affected by the bright sunlight pouring through his bedroom window than the actual shouting, and he watched with sleep glazed eyes as a livid Greg paced back and forth across the small room, pointing a finger every so often. By the time he got around to rationalizing his own cheating by placing the blame on Louis, Harry was sitting up, calmly watching the angry DJ as well.

Greg accused Louis of always choosing Harry over him, again and again. A point that might have been a tad bit truthful, but any guilt Louis might have felt was diminished by the memory of the x rated sex scene he had walked in on the previous night.

Louis only half listened while Greg continued his ironic venting, and he absently thought that Zayn must have spent the night with Liam because there was no way he wouldn’t have been in to see what all the fuss was about. The only rise an irate Greg got out of them came when he called Louis a cockslut.

Harry lunged at the startled DJ, actually growling when Louis pulled him back. Louis intended to say it’s not worth it when Harry turned his angry gaze on him, but one look into the fierce green irises had Louis melting along with all rational thought.

“Hi,” he said softly, and immediately the angry fire in Harry’s eyes was replaced by a hungry heat that had his pupils dilating.

“Morning,” Harry groused back, moving his gaze down to Louis’ lips.

Greg and his rant forgotten, Harry attacked Louis’ mouth, mounting a thirsty invasion, ignoring their stale morning breath.

“You both are fucking mental! Here’s your own key back, you two-timing bastard,” Greg spouted, however his presence and the irony of his words were lost on Louis because he was too busy getting ready to shag Harry for the third time in less than twelve hours, and by the time they left his bedroom later that day the garbage bin contained another used condom to go along with the two from the previous night and the one from that morning.

Greg was true to his word, he didn't try to contact Louis again, but Louis did go to his flat once to own up to the role he played in their breakup. His ex quickly shut the attempted apology down with a harsh, _“Fuck you,”_ and after that they ignored each other the few times they crossed paths around campus.

Things for Louis and Harry weren’t so clear cut.

Following their night and morning together they attempted to go back to being only best friends, both of them making a valiant effort to ignore the sexual tension that may as well have been a third person in the room.

It all came to a head almost a week after the first time they had sex.

\----

They were supposed meet up with the other boys at an off campus bar to listen to some band Harry liked, but at the last minute he was called on to do a photo layout for the campus paper. Being a proper best friend, Louis didn’t want Harry to have to arrive at the bar alone so he volunteered to wait until Harry finished up.

He was in the kitchen, drinking a beer when his phone buzzed, but when he moved to pick it up he knocked the bottle over. He didn’t have time to move out from the table before the beer soaked the dark denims he had own, seeping all the way through to his pants.

Like he suspected the text was from Harry, saying he was on the way, and Louis hurried to his room to change after cleaning up the mess he made. Harry found him just as he was pulling the dry pair of pants up and over his thighs.

Harry stood just inside the door with a blush spreading over his face, and it was obvious he was trying his hardest not to look down at the part of Louis’ body that had yet to be covered by his boxers.

“I called out, but you didn’t answer,” Harry broke the thick silence.

Didn’t hear you, mate,” Louis replied, still holding the boxers mid-thigh.

“Uhm, well I’ll just go and let you finish,” Harry indicated with his thumbs the direction he intended to go in, but his feet didn’t move. His breathing visibly changed when his eyes finally moved to Louis’ hands or somewhere in that general region.

Louis’ couldn’t stop the semi from blossoming under Harry’s leer, but he still moved to pull the boxers up the rest of the way, needing more than a hungry look to stop him.

“Don’t,” Harry ordered, giving Louis what he needed with one demanding word.

“Okay,” Louis breathed, pushing the boxers until they could slide freely down his legs.

Before he could kick them off completely Harry was kneeling on the floor, taking him deep into his mouth.

\----

Not surprising, Liam, Zayn, and Niall were the only ones to enjoy the live music that night.

Louis and Harry simply told their friends that Harry's layout took longer than expected, and after that it was easy for them to transition from best friends to best friends with benefits.

Harry made the initial suggestion, telling Louis the arrangement would spare him the awkwardness of having someone he just wanted to hook up ask fir something more.

That didn’t surprise Louis in the least, because although Harry hadn't done it much during the time they'd been friends, it was no secret that he preferred casual screws over relationships. He never offered satisfactory answers when Louis tried to talk to him about it so he eventually stopped asking.

Louis used the _not wanting to dive right back into another relationship_ as an excuse to accept Harry’s proposal, his only condition being they keep the arrangement a secret.

He told Harry he didn’t want to hear all the warnings and advice that was sure to come if their friends knew they were sleeping together, but the truth was he’d been scared that someone would convince Harry it was a bad idea.

Harry easily agreed after adding a condition of his own. He said they had to be exclusive because he didn't feel it would be fair to involve anyone else in what they were doing.

Louis somberly agreed to the demand, but on the inside he'd been turning little flips of joy. Of course he wanted to be exclusive. He hadn't ever considered another option.

The only glitch in their plan occurred when it was Zayn's turn to empty all the trash bins in their dorm room, and he found used condoms in Louis' trash.

Zayn came to the only logical conclusion since he knew that Louis was back to spending all of his free time with Harry, and that he spent almost every night in Louis’ room.

When Zayn confronted Louis, he knew he was found out, but he swore his friend to secrecy, and although Zayn promised to keep quiet, he didn’t do it without issuing a few warnings that Louis listened to without really listening. He was just happy that his and Harry’s secret was safe. That he still got to be with Harry without the fear of someone ruining it.

\----

They had four months left before graduation, and even with the looming uncertainty of what they'd do post-college, Louis and Harry settled effortlessly into the new phase of their relationship. The closer it got to graduation the heat between them still hadn’t shown signs of easing up, and it turned out it didn’t have to.

Almost a month before the end of their studies, Harry applied for and landed a permanent job for the London Daily as one of the staff photographers, and he immediately approached Louis with the idea of them moving in together.

Two weeks prior to that Louis and Zayn had been offered positions at the Warship Academy where they had both interned as student teachers for the better part of their last year.

Louis was hired to co-teach drama, and Zayn was set to take over the vacated art instructor’s position. Their projected salaries were enough that Louis could have lived on his own easily, but he hadn’t for one second considered turning down Harry’s proposal.

The job didn't start until the beginning of August with a two week training session, and because of it Louis figured it would be the perfect opportunity to spend more than just a few days with his mum and sisters. The trip home to Doncaster had already been planned before Harry made the offer to get a flat together. Louis was still tempted to change his plans.

Zayn was set to move in with Liam, and he landed a summer job at the Italian restaurant where Niall worked. Liam had been trying to get Zayn to move in with him since the start of their last year of school, but Zayn didn't want to make the commitment when he didn't know what he’d do or where he’d be living after graduation. Louis was the only person to know the main reason was because Zayn was scared he'd reveal his true feelings for Liam under such close proximity.

Niall hadn’t needed that much convincing. After a two week trip home to Ireland, and despite still having a year of university to complete, he agreed to move in the three bedroom flat with Zayn and Liam instead of going back to the dorms.

It gave Louis some comfort that Harry wouldn't be alone for the six weeks he’d be gone, but he still hated the thought of leaving his soon to be roommate slash best friend slash best friend with benefits slash love of his life.

\----

The first few days Louis was happy to be home with his mum and sisters. Just catching up with all five of them took some time because except for the brief reunion at his graduation he hadn't seen them for a good visit since the Christmas holidays.

He did miss Harry a lot. Louis actually ached with the need to see his best friend, but the girls were a good distraction. It only became unbearable at the end of the first week.

Even the numerous texts and phone calls hadn't helped. Louis tried to hide it, but he knew he wasn't doing a good job of it from the worried looks his mum kept giving him, but much to his relief Harry was a horny bastard, and almost two weeks into the trip Louis’ sex starved best friend paid him a weekend visit.

Harry was no stranger to the Tomlinson household. He’d visited with Louis on several occasions, and Louis’ family had been overjoyed to see him. Even at the late hour, but they hardly had time to welcome him properly before Louis was pulling him up the stairs and into his childhood bedroom, claiming Harry was exhausted from the drive up.

They ravenously attacked each other’s mouths before stumbling over to Louis’ bed.

Harry pushed Louis down on the firm mattress and immediately climbed over Louis’ outstretched body, grinding down on him, hard and deliciously, but they could only go as far as snogging each other senseless because Louis’ mum and sisters had to get ready for bed on the same level of the house.

Louis pulled back first, whispering apologies and sweet words to Harry until their erections weren’t so erect and their breathing was close to normal again. Because of the picture it would paint for his family, Louis refused when Harry suggested they leave and check into a hotel, but because he was just a needy, he agreed to get a room the next day.

It turned out they didn’t have to because Jay caught on quickly to what was going on between her son and his best friend. Or at least she thought she did because at the time it wasn't something Louis would ever openly admit to.

Even without confirmation, Jay was embarrassingly pleased so she the girls out for the entire day, leaving Louis and Harry home alone, and they didn’t waste a single minute of their time alone.

They proceeded to almost break down Louis’ bed with the force of their pent up frustration from having gone without each other for just under two whole weeks. Sex with Harry had always been on another level of amazing, but that day it was filled with a sweet desperation so intense that Louis cried after they were done.

When Harry asked him what was wrong, his own voice shaky with something low and undecipherable, Louis pretended that he didn’t know it would be so emotional having sex in his childhood bed for the first time.

That led to another round of the gentle consoling sex, so undeniably tender that Louis almost didn’t feel guilty for lying to Harry

Later on that night they were in Louis’ newly christened bed, listening to Mike Reno's duet with Ann Wilson _Almost Paradise_ , both of them completely wiped out after their marathon of sex. Thanks to an early dinner, courtesy of a smug Jay, they hadn't left Louis' room the entire day except to shower and eat the lunch that had served as their breakfast too.

The song was doing funny things to Louis’ heart, making him ache with the need to tell Harry how he really felt about him, but his heart almost stopped altogether when Harry asked him out of the blue if he’d come back to London with him.

He argued that it made more sense for Louis to come back to London with him instead of him trying to find the time to drive up to Doncaster every time they wanted to shag, and although Louis wished the offer had been based on more than sex, he was packed and in the passenger seat when Harry left for London the next night.

Louis’ sisters complained about not getting to spend hardly any time with Harry, but Jay was so pleased when she waved them off she wasn’t even upset to be losing her son almost a month earlier than originally planned. She did make the both promise to visit again soon, stressing the both part and making Louis blush like a thirteen year old.

Louis and Harry made it back to London in the early hours of the morning, and it didn’t occur to either of them to go to their separate bedrooms, instead Harry pulled Louis into his.

Louis didn't even look into his own bedroom until about a few days after their arrival, only then to unpack and make the room livable. Although at that point it was hardly necessary because he slept in Harry’s room every night, and for the first month after they officially became roommates, Harry worked during the day, leaving Louis to take care of the flat or spend his days with their other mates if their schedules permitted.

At night they stayed in, rarely going out. Eating takeout, or meals Harry prepared because Louis hadn’t yet learned how to navigate his way around a kitchen, and watching their favorite television programs or a movie before heading to Harry’s bedroom to explore each other’s bodies with eighties love songs always playing in the background.

It was their thing, and when Harry didn’t have to work he and Louis still had their lazy Saturdays. Except for the friends with benefits label, they may as well have been a real couple.

Louis liked it that way. He liked it a lot.

\----

“Lou? Lou? Earth to Lou,” Harry snaps his fingers in front of Louis’ vacant face, pulling him from his blast to the past.

“Sorry, mate. Did you say something?”

“Do you think I should wear cologne or not?” Harry’s accompanying smile held all of the trusting innocence that drives Louis crazy. It's totally one of the most charming things about his best friend, and Louis does not want to be charmed right now.

“Uhm, you should definitely wear the Yves Saint Laurent,” he responds, betraying Harry's trust because he fucking hates that cologne.

“I thought you said it wasn’t your favorite?” Harry asks, looking a little suspicious now.

“Well you’ve only worn it the one time that I can recall, and it was a bit overpowering for me,” Louis thinks quickly. “I’m sure it’s just the thing a fireman would go for.”

He actually hopes Liam will hate it too. Enough to call off the date.

Besides, no cologne could compare to Harry’s own warm, clean scent. Louis is positive he could breathe it in for a thousand years and not get tired of it.

Harry’s smile gets wider before he lifts the clear blue bottle from the bureau. He liberally sprays it into the air before walking through the mist. The cologne is supposed to mimic the body’s natural pheromones, but Louis thinks it smells like sweat, sex, and flowers. In his opinion there’s nothing natural about the expensive cologne.

“All good?”, Harry asks, leaning in close so Louis can get a good whiff, but Louis is attempting to hold his breath to escape the offensive scent, so he only nods and gives two thumbs up as two small coughs escape his throat.

“Boots next,” Harry steps back, allowing Louis to breathe again.

While Harry chooses the shoes he'll wear on his date, Louis can’t help but wish he was the one his roommate was going through all the trouble for.

\----

Outside of the Greg era, maybe even a somewhat during the Greg era, Louis and Harry looked and acted like a couple. They did almost from the beginning of their friendship, and Louis can’t count the number of people who mistook them for the real thing.

Harry might have solely been in it for the sex. That possibility was something Louis dreaded with everything in him, but he had been almost positive it was more than that for Harry too. Because of that tiny it of hope, Louis had seriously been thinking about confessing his feelings to Harry.

For the first time in Louis’ adult life he’d been seriously considering making the first move, but before he could Harry made his big _I’m gonna fuck your brains out then rip your heart to shreds announcement_.

It ha taken a shit ton of courage for Louis to even consider opening up without knowing if Harry returned his feelings, but he got past the crippling fear. He loved Harry that much. Now he’s stuck dealing with the pact they made at the beginning of their arrangement.

Louis and Harry promised each other that if one of them chose to back out they wouldn't affect their friendship. They vowed that their friendship was more important than the sex, and it is.

Louis values Harry’s friendship more than he could ever express, but that truth doesn’t do anything to anything to smooth the dents in his crushed heart or the smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes anymore.

\----

Harry dealt the heartbreaking blow two weeks before Louis was due to start his job. Thankfully the mandatory training sessions he had to attend ten days before the actual start of classes didn’t leave him much time to mope.

On the first day of training Louis met Eleanor Calder, the teacher he was assigned to work with, and he liked her instantly. She was beginning her third year as the drama instructor at Warship’s, and Louis learned pretty quickly she possessed a wicked and very dry sense of humor.

They were at lunch on the third day of training, when over a discussion of significant others Eleanor showed Loui a picture of a very pretty and very pregnant redhead who she identified as her wife, and although he didn’t have a picture to show her of a special someone, Louis did reveal his sexuality.

_“Couldn’t have guessed that one,”_ Eleanor had responded with a lifted eyebrow.

In that moment Louis liked her even more. _“How very dare you,”_ he had pretended offense, and that pretty much set the tone for their relationship.

The orientation ended on a Thursday and school starting the following Monday. Louis was instantly popular with the level three and four students, something El, as he’d come to call his friend and coworker in private, teased him about relentlessly.

Thanks to him student teaching, Louis was already aware that the drama department put on two major plays during the school year in his first week, and he was pleasantly surprised when Eleanor informed him that he had the responsibility of overseeing the two productions while she focused on preparing the participating students for the highly popular debate and prose competitions which took place throughout the entire school year.

While was at work Louis was so busy he could almost forget about his feelings for Harry, but the dreaded end of the school day always served as a reminder that he’d eventually have to make his way back to their shared flat.

Initially, when they stopped having sex it was almost as if they didn't know how to act around each other. Louis even thought that Harry was always watching him on the rare occasions they were in the apartment together. Watching for what Louis didn’t know, but the wary looks had started to unnerve him.

Subsequently he made an extra effort to show Harry that the lack of sex hadn't affected their friendship, and for the most part it seemed to work. Louis was still hopelessly in love though, and much to his alarm that didn't show any signs of changing.

He lived a hopeless existence until one night almost two and a half months after Harry’s no sex rule, and about six weeks into the school term, he received a call from Harry’s mum that set him on the path that would eventually lead to his current wreck of a life.

\----

Louis was just about to head to the bedroom he still hadn't adjusted to sleeping in when his cell phone buzzed.

“Hi, Anne,” Louis answered affectionately after seeing her face flash across the screen. “I’m sorry, Haz was called out on an assignment,” he went on, thinking she tried to reach her son before calling him.

“Well it’s a good thing I was trying to reach my other lovely boy, isn’t it?” she responded with fondness.

“You honor me,” Louis was only half kidding. Anne had made her affection for him known almost from the minute of their first meeting.

“So are you and my son back to dirtying up the sheets yet?”

Besides being exceptionally adorable, Harry’s mum was very meddlesome and shamelessly straightforward. She declared that Louis was the one for Harry long before they started sleeping together, even giving him the moniker. Even his relationship with Greg didn’t dissuade her.

“Whatever are you on about?” Louis joked, turning his attention back to the phone conversation.

“I’m on about the fact that I could be well on my way to becoming a grandmother if you and my dear son would get your heads out of your very handsome arses."

Louis could only laugh at her bluntness. “I would gladly give you grandchildren, but your son seems to be on a different page right now.”

“I know you don’t believe me Louis, but I really think he feels the same way about you.” Anne said in a kinder, gentler tone, and she was right, Louis didn’t believe her no matter how many times she repeated it.

“If only, but trust me, if Harry ever confesses to me, you’ll be the third to know,” he used another of their secret puns.

“I beg to differ this time, my lovely. I think I’m the first to know seeing as you and my son seem to be clueless and spineless.”

“Hey, I resemble that remark,” Louis teased. He loved Anne even more because she could have betrayed him to Harry at any time, but she’d kept his secret like it was her own.

“Cheeky, aren’t you? Anyway, believe it or not I called you for a reason other than to talk about my idiotic son.”“Get to it, woman. It’s not like I’m getting any younger here,” Louis spouted, causing Anne to laugh again.

“Well, old man, I was trolling the YouTube; looking for ideas to spice up mine and Robin’s date tonight, and I found the funniest show. Thought you might get a kick out of it seeing that we have similar tastes in comedy,” Anne explained, somehow still leaving Louis in the dark.

"Okay, and what might this brilliant show on _the YouTube_ be?” Louis responded because she would probably go on and on if he didn’t ask directly.

“Yes, well it’s a show on MTV called _Disaster Date_. The premise is basically people setting their friends up on these horrid blind dates to see if they can last through them, and the one’s I’ve watched are really funny."

Louis could only wonder at the conspiratorial tone in her voice. “Sounds riveting,” he cajoled, but not even a little bit interested.

“I know you’ll really enjoy it. Promise me you’ll watch a couple of the videos tonight, yes?” Anne pushed.

Never being able to refuse Harry’s mother anything; something she apparently had in common with her son, Louis promised to look the videos up as soon as he turned in, and after a few more minutes of talk Anne said she had to ring off because she still hadn't found anything to spice up her and her husband’s date.

Louis had just wished she’d stop giving him that visual.

“Just one more thing, darling.”

Louis knew from tons of experience that Anne saying goodbye and actually hanging up were two entirely different things, and he was in no way surprised when she continued on that night.

“I’ve never shared this with you, but my dear sweet mum, rest her soul, used to say all the time, _You don’t’ know what you got until you have something to compare it to._

Louis emitted an ungentlemanly like snort in response. “First of all, your dear sweet mum is very much alive. Second, I’m pretty sure that is not how that saying goes.”

“And either of your points would be?” Harry's mum responded haughtily.

“Oddly enough, I don’t have an answer for that so why don't I text you when I’ve watched a couple of the videos,” Louis conceded, the long day beginning to catch up with him.

“Good deal, my sweet. I’ll leave you to it then. Only lovely dreams for you.”

“Thanks, Anne. I hope you have a good night too.”

“I plan on it,” Anne said saucily, eliciting a strongly emphasized _“Eww”_ from Louis.

“Lou?”

“Yeah, Anne?”

“Never forget that you’re the one,” Anne told him, keeping their ritual intact.

“I won’t, but too bad your son doesn’t seem to be aware of it,” Louis stayed true to the same response he’d been giving Anne for years. Only he was nowhere near as joking as he sounded. He never was.

“Says the pot to the kettle,” Anne admonished Louis, an after that she did ring off.

\----

Louis was laughing uncontrollably at the Disaster Date videos a little while later. His favorite of the three episodes he watched featured the blind date pretending to be very much into the paranormal. To his date's dismay proceeded to put on a ghost hunting head piece in a crowded restaurant. After the third video Louis was too sleepy to watch anymore. He decided he'd look at more of the funny clips the next day, and he shot off a quick text to Harry’s mother before turning off his bedside lamp.

_The One:You were right. Videos are hilarious, but I’m too sleepy to continue. Will watch more tomorrow._

A few minutes later she replied.

_Anne: Funny they are, but you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. Goodnight love. P.S. May my mum’s words fill your dreams._

Before Anne’s last text Louis probably would've fallen into a fitful sleep in minutes, but thanks to the vague message he couldn't.

He replayed their earlier conversation over and over in his head, trying to recall exactly what words she was referring to, and just when he’d about given up and was about go and fix himself a cup of tea, the words came back to him.

_“You don’t’ know what you got until you have something to compare it to.”_

Instead of getting up from the bed, Louis breathed a sigh of relief, quickly chalking the misquote up to Anne’s quirkiness, but just when he was on the verge of sleep he heard Harry come into the apartment, humming a tune under his breath like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Louis’ eyes immediately started to sting with unshed tears and his heart sank to his stomach because he knew that once again, sleep would be a long time coming. He huddled into a ball with his arms wrapped tightly around his waist, thinking that it just wasn’t fair that Harry could pull the rug from under him and walk around like everything was fine.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the truth of the matter was that Harry wouldn’t be bothered because he was the one who said no more sex between them. He was the one who said he and Louis needed to meet other people. Harry was the one who said they needed to spread wings Louis didn't even know they possessed.

Even more absurd was that since his big announcement Harry hadn’t taken his own advice. Sure he worked odd hours, but he still had ample amounts of free time. Instead he’d go to work and come home like clockwork, always so kind, but always tense and watching.

Louis' brain finally caught up with his thoughts, and in movie like fashion everything changed in a matter of seconds.

Harry hadn’t been on a single date in the entire two months since they stopped having sex.

In the next instant Louis was leaning up on his elbows with wide eyes.

Harry _“I think we should spread our wings”_ Styles has remained dateless despite his desire to see other people!

Louis hadn’t delved into the dating arena himself, but he wasn't the one who ended things, and it’s not like he hadn’t been asked out, because he had been, several times. Just not by anyone he was interested in enough to say yes. Or anyone who came close to competing with Harry Styles.

Louis’ restless mind continued to process, and if he had been asked, he would have blamed what happened next on his sleepless state, his broken heart, his own stupidity, the Disaster Date videos, and Anne’s false words of wisdom.

Okay, to save time Louis would have blamed the entire thing on Anne, because thanks to her, in the space of a very few seconds, Louis came up with the most brilliant idea. One that was sure to send his roommate and sex buddy running back to him.

All Louis had to do was set Harry up on a string of really terrible bad dates, and make himself look so much better in comparison. The rest would take care of itself.

It had to work.

It would work.

Of course it would work.

\----

Sleep was easy after that. Getting Harry to agree to the dates turned out to be not so effortless.

He refused to even consider the suggestion when Louis brought it up the next morning. Louis even thought he saw anger flash in Harry’s eyes, but he quickly dismissed the notion when Harry doubled over laughing.

“There's no way on earth I'd let you fix me up,” he said, still stupidly giggling.

“Why not?” Louis hadn’t seen the humor in it

“Because I know your type, and I do not, under any circumstances want to date your type.”

“I typed you. Didn’t hear any complaints,” Louis huffed.

“I don’t want to date myself either. Besides I was the one to type you, and that was just sex, yeah?”

If gravity hadn’t decided to befriend Louis at that exact moment he would've been curled up on the floor in a ball of pain. How was it even possible for someone to make a knife to the heart insult sound like an innocent question?

“Hell no, it wasn’t just sex you idiot!” Louis had wanted to scream. Instead he said, “As your best friend I think I know your type, Haz.”

“And what would my type be, Lou? You,” Harry countered, again with the intense staring Louis was getting used to, but nonetheless confused by.

“Obviously I’m not, or we’d still be shagging, wouldn’t we?” Louis hit back glibly, relieved that gravity was still working for him because it was the only logical explanation as to how he was still standing. “Besides you’re the one who said we needed to see other people, but haven’t made a move to. So I really don’t see what the big deal is here.”

“Yes you do,” Harry drawled, but Louis ignored him.

“There’s no harm in letting me try, right?” he continued to press the issuwe, determined to get Harry to agree.

“Exactly what do you get out of this?”

_Shit. Damn._. Louis hadn’t been expecting Harry to ask him that, but he was a pretty fast thinker. “I get to see you spread your so called wings, and who knows, it may inspire me to spread mine.”

“And how many of these dates do I have to go on before you’re satisfied?”

Yet another question Louis wasn’t been expecting. “Hmm, hadn’t thought that far ahead, Harold. There is the saying, three strikes and you’re out, but who’s to say you won’t make a connection on the first date?”

“Good point, but what do I get if the date or dates aren't to my liking?” Harry asks, and Louis swears the words sound suggestive so he says the first thing that comes to his mind.

“I’ll suck you off for any one of the dates that aren't to your liking,” Louis responded, using his fingers to mimic his roommate.

For someone who had been so opposed to the idea of being set up, Harry agreed go on the dates. Without so much as an eye twitch. “Deal,” he said, holding out his hand. 

As he shook Harry’s hand, Louis was well aware that his offer was self-serving, but if the dates didn’t work out, it wasn't like Harry wouldn't be benefitting from it as well.

At the time it sounded like a win win to Louis. He felt like he was a few bad dates away from getting Harry back, and with that major hurdle of getting him to agree crossed, Louis only had to tackle the daunting task of finding the dates.

Oddly enough finding the first date turned out to be easy. 

\----

Like most geniuses behind plans that are destined to fail, Louis started to doubt his scheme a few days later. As much as he wanted to he couldn’t ignore the possibility that it all could backfire on him. Harry could actually meet someone he really liked.

The thought scared Louis so much that he decided to confess the entire plot to Zayn. Louis needed someone's opinion besides Anne's because she thought it was brilliant.

It was her plan all along so of course she'd think it was brilliant.

Louis met up with Zayn at a bar near his and Harry’s flat, right after school ended and before Louis could think himself out of confessing.

Before they started talking he was worried that Zayn would think he was insane. After all Zayn was the only other person besides Anne who knew how upset Louis was at the change in his and Harry’s relationship, and despite the fact that they had taken to commiserating with each other over the sorry state of their loves lives, Louis for missing the sex between him and Harry and Zayn because he was still eating his heart out over Liam, Louis had still been worried about his friend’s reaction.

Regarding Liam, Louis honestly didn’t think Zayn had anything to worry about because he saw the very non platonic way the fireman looked at Zayn. Louis was used to seeing the same look of longing in his own eyes whenever he looked in a mirror, but he couldn’t exactly press Zayn to be honest with Liam when he wouldn’t tell Harry how he really felt.

“This is going to go really good or really bad, and I love it. Who knows if it works I might give it try with Liam,” Zayn had told Louis after he stopped laughing.

“Make me more nervous why don’t you,” Louis hadn’t been as amused.

“What are going to do if he actually falls for one these chaps?” Zayn asked after taking a long drink of his beer, speaking aloud one of Louis greatest fears.

“Have you been listening to me at all? That’s why the dates have to be particularly bad,” Louis explained one more time.

Zayn looked at Louis thoughtfully before speaking. “Tell me again, you’re going through all this trouble just because Harry was the quote unquote _best shag you’ve ever had_?” he sounded doubtful.

“You know me,” Louis said, hoping that would be enough stop his former roommate from digging for a more expansive answer.

“I do know you, Lou, and that’s why I believe there’s more to this than your _“I hate starting new relationships”_ routine,” Zayn accused, but before Louis could respond he slapped his palm against his forehead. “Oh shit, mate!” he said before grabbing onto Louis' shoulder.

“What the fuck, Zayn!” Louis winced because of the vice like grip.

“You won't believe this, but I have the perfect bloke in mind,” Zayn sounded more excited than Louis had been when he first thought of the plot. He had to admit he was intrigued by Zayn’s obvious excitement, but not enough to let him continue bruising his shoulder. Louis politely extracted Zayn’s fingers from his person.

"As far as characters go this guy is pure gold,” Zayn continued, eyes lit with mirth.

"Okay, I'm interested," Louis said, brow raised in suspicion, but it smoothed out the more Zayn told him about a DJ who was a regular customer at the Italian restaurant where he had worked at during the summer, and where Niall still worked.

As Zayn continued to describe what sounded like a real twat, Louis realized he was a perfect first candidate. Two more beers later, several texts to Niall who was told the date was sort of a practical joke, and a couple of phone calls, Harry had a date with a DJ named Nick Grimshaw set for that following Friday.

\----

After the initial jubilation, the jitters set in again. Louis was a nervous wreck the days leading up to the date, but Harry walked around with a smirky smile, acting like he was indulging the whim of a petulant child.

The, DJ as Louis referred to him (he refused to call him by his given name), was supposed to meet Harry at the restaurant same Italian restaurant because both of them were familiar with it. When in fact the real reason was so that Niall and a couple of his friends could give Louis and Zayn play by play feedback, and not surprisingly Louis' coconspirator walked through the door five minutes after Harry left.

"Be right back," Louis left Zayn in the sitting room to go and grab a couple of beers from the fridge. When he got back he settled in with Zayn to wait for the first update from Niall.

They didn't have to wait long.

About half an hour in the first text came with an accompanying photo of Harry and a tall, dark haired bloke shaking hands over a table obviously meant for two.

Critically examining the picture, Louis thought Harry’s date was okay looking if you went for the over-styled and pretentious type.

_Nialler: So it begins._

The next updates were more frequent after that, and most of them had Louis and Zayn laughing uncontrollably for most of the night.

Niall’s texts and occasional photos vividly told the story of Harry’s reaction to the man who thought he was the world’s gift to gay men, and he proved more than once that he was _the king of sexual innuendo_ , as Zayn had so generously put it that night at the bar.

One of the funniest updates had come pretty early and it was classic.

_Nialler: He just told Harry that his salad looked like a vegetable medley of sexy love, and that he wished he could have been there when Harry had his cherry…tomato popped. LMFAO!!!_

The two pictures sent with the text was one of Harry pushing his salad away with a look of disgust, and one of the DJ licking what Louis assumed to be ranch dressing off his pointing finger while looking suggestively at his date.

Louis had almost peed his pants he laughed so hard.

It got better.

The next text had Zayn crying tears of laughter and Louis rolling on the floor for more minutes than they could count.

_Nialler: Picture says it all._

The first photo was of the DJ, possibly molesting his pasta with a breadstick, his eyes lewdly on Harry. The second was of Harry with a shocked expression on his face, his eyes stuck on the debauched pasta.

After that intermittent pictures of Harry blushing or looking very disgusted came through to Louis’ phone from an unknown number, probably one of Niall’s spies, but the next sidesplitting update had been grosser than all of the updates combined.

_Nialler: He ordered profiteroles for dessert. Use your imagination. No wait don’t. I just threw up in me mouth. Pretty sure Harry did too._

The last two pictures came from the same unknown number. One showed the backs of the couple leaving the restaurant. Nick Grimshaw had his hand on the lower part of Harry’s back, but it looked like Harry’s body was curved to avoid as much of the touch as possible.

The last photo was showed Niall at the recently vacated table, holding up a plate of smushed profiteroles with the filling leaking out, a couple of looking like a finger had been used to hollow them out. Niall was holding up one, his face flushed red from laughter.

_The Tommo: You were right, visual so not necessary. Thanks, mate. Couldn’t have pulled it off without you. Big up to your friends as well._

_Nialler: From what I seen tonight, you owe all the thanks to Nick Grimshaw. Never laughed so hard in me life. Cheers, mate._

_When Louis and Zayn finally stopped laughing Louis told his ex-roommate that he owed him a lifetime of favors._

The date having gone even better (or worse, depending how you looked at it) than Louis had expected, and a very horny Louis tried to give Zayn enough time to finish his stale beer.

Louis really didn’t want to rush him out, except he didn’t really try to let Zayn finish his beer and he did rush him out. After giving Zayn a hug, Louis literally pushed his partner in crime out the door with a promise to call him the next day, and before heading to the shower he forwarded Anne the texts and photos from the date like he promised. 

_Anne: I've never seen anything funnier in my life. Or grosser. Keep up the good work, babe. btw Robin says snotting laughter is a mood killer and that he’s going to kill you next time he sees you._

The accompanying photo of Robin in his boxers with his hands on his hips and a mock glare on his face sends Louis over the edge again.

_The One: Are you sure you’ve never seen anything funnier or grosser because I’m sure I just did. xx_

_Anne: Very funny. Robin says you’re really dead now, but don’t worry I’ll hide all of the bullets. G’night, love._

After texting a responding goodnight, Louis grabbed a quick shower, then waited for Harry, hoping things between them would progress far beyond a simple blow job.

\----

Harry not coming home turned out to be the only flaw to Louis' up until then perfect plan, and the earlier merriment he experienced disappeared in rapid fashion.

Unsurprisingly, sleep evaded him in the bedroom that was still strange to him, but in the silent darkness he concluded there had to be another explanation as to why Harry hadn’t come home, there was no way he was still with the DJ.

No fucking way.

The next morning Louis was staring up at the ceiling, still seeking sleep when the familiar buzzing of his phone notified him of a text.

_Anne: Good morning, my sweet. Thought you might want to know that Harry's here. Said he came down without telling anyone. Assuming that meant you too. Sorry if you were worried. Will call soon.xx_

_The One: You’re correct, mam. Do you happen to know what time he made it in?_

_Anne: About twelve thirtyish from what he’s told me, the rascal. _

____

_Anne may have ended her message with a frown, but Louis was relieved because if Harry made it to Cheshire just after midnight that meant he had to have left London right after leaving the restaurant for the little over three hour drive._

__

_The One: Thanks, Anne. Please enjoy your visit. Don’t worry about me._

__

_Anne: Impossible._

__

Louis was sort of better then, not alright, but better.

__

Anne was true to her word. She called a relieved but confused Louis the minute after Harry left to make the trip back to London. Anne tried her best to pep Louis up, for the most part succeeding. She also congratulated him for ignoring her son’s numerous phone calls and texts, something Louis found easy to do in the light of Harry's actions.

__

He was still angry when he heard Harry's key turn in the door some hours later, but not wanting it to look like he’d been waiting, Louis jumped up from the sofa and ran really fast to his bedroom. He dived on his bed and ignored the soft knock he had been expecting, but he was nowhere near stupid. He left the door left unlocked.

__

“Lou?” Harry sounded unsure as he stepped through the door.

__

Louis was struck at how amazing Harry looked despite wearing the same clothes he had worn the night before. “What is it, Harry?” he answered, the irritation was purposefully evident in his voice.

__

“I’m sorry I was such a twat. I just didn’t think,” Harry apologized, making his way over to the bed.

__

Louis was a sucker for apologies. Truthfully, he was just a sucker for Harry, but in that moment he wasn't about to split hairs. “The date couldn’t have been that bad,” he chided, not totally ready to give in.

__

“Let’s just say it was interesting, but it had nothing to do with me going home to see my mum,” Harry hedged, and when Louis looked skeptical he added, “Really, I was just driving around after I left the restaurant, and before I knew it the wind was leading me to Cheshire."

__

From anyone else the explanation might have sounded ridiculous, but not from Harry. From him it was the most believable.

__

Louis moved over and patted the space beside him in an act of forgiveness. He had to slide over more when Harry sat down beside him, and his had heart flipped in a painful way when he realized that Harry was in his bed for the first time.

__

“So did you hit it off with your blind date?” Louis asked, trying to delicately approach the subject of the much anticipated blowjob he owed his roommate.

__

“Not by a long shot,” Harry answered as he reached down to remove his boots. “No more recommendations from Zayn okay.”

__

__

“Okay,” Louis agreed, content to let the blame be placed on Zayn. “So I guess you’ll want to collect on our bargain now,” he valiantly tried to keep his expression and tone anticipation free. To this day he believes he succeeded.

__

“No worries there, mate." With those four words Harry crushed all Louis hopes. “Wasn’t that awful,” he drawled, but Louis knew the date had been worse than awful. “He’s really a nice guy once you get to know him,” and what the stupid shit was Harry even talking about. Nick, Dick, or whatever was not really nice.

__

“So I guess it’s on to the second date, yeah?” Harry continued, but all Louis could think about was the missed opportunity to give his best friend a blow job, not a second bloody date. However because he was more mature than he felt, Louis nodded instead of getting up to stomp his feet like he wanted to.

__

Seemingly satisfied with only the nod, Harry kissed Louis on the cheek before getting up from the bed, picking his boots up and heading towards the door. “Can’t wait,” he said before exiting.

__

Louis absolutely did not stick his middle finger up at his roommate’s retreating back.

__

Except he did, although it gave him very little satisfaction.

__

\----

__

The candidate for the second date came courtesy of Eleanor, but thanks to Zayn, Louis wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with setting Harry up again.

__

When Zayn finally called Louis the morning after Harry's impromptu visit to Cheshire he was no longer keen on Louis’ scheme. His only explanation had been that he wouldn’t want to be deceived like that.

__

Louis was also busy at school with the selection for the first production the drama department. He had it narrowed down to _Grease, Peter Pan, and West Side Story_ , but Eleanor thought they should make the final decision based on which play would be the most lenient on their annual budget.

__

They originally planned to go over the numbers during their free period, but Eleanor was called into a parent’s conference that lasted a lot longer than expected. Afterwards they decided to make the decision over takeout at the end of the day. It was a Friday night, Louis didn’t have any plans and El’s wife was working late so neither of them had been in a big hurry to finish.

__

Louis and Harry’s flat was closest to the school, and they ended up there with two laptops, the folders containing the projected expenses for the plays, and the remains of two hideously large burgers littered over the kitchen table.

__

Louis and Eleanor sat beside each other because they had to share some of the material, close enough for their shoulders to brush if either of them leaned in. Eleanor interrupted the budget discussion to tell Louis about an incident two years before when someone painstakingly put green and blue food coloring in the cans of hairspray used as props in the production of _Hairspray_.

__

“To say that it brought new meaning to the adage, the show must go on is an understatement at best,” she said, laughing and shaking her head at the memory.

__

__

Louis fell onto Eleanor’s shoulder, laughed out loud as he pictured the blue and green colored students continuing on with the play.

__

That’s how Harry found them. “Lou?” but he may as well have said, “What's going on?”

__

“Oh hi, Haz,” Louis lifted his head from Eleanor’s shoulder, still smiling at the story. “This is Eleanor Calder, the drama teacher I work with. I've mentioned her before. El I’d like you to meet my best friend and roommate, Harry,” he made the introductions, smiling up at Harry as he spoke.

__

“El,” Harry spoke with something odd in his tone as he repeated the shortened version of Eleanor’s name. “Nice to meet you, El," he added holding out his hand, stressing the abbreviated name again.

__

“Same here,” Eleanor said genuinely to an unsmiling Harry as she shook his outstretched hand.

__

“I guess you’ll be wanting to get back to your work so I’ll just head off to my room,” Harry told them, and before Louis or Eleanor could reply he walked out of the kitchen.

__

“Dreamy and a bit jealous, I think,” Eleanor whispered with a sly smile.

__

“Dreamy yes, jealous no. Not by a long shot, but that’s not to say I don’t wish it were true,” Louis said quietly.

__

“Sorry for teasing,” Eleanor responded, gently rubbing Louis’ back.

__

“It’s alright. Kind of used to it now. Actually, I should apologize for him. He’s usually not like that, must have had a bad day at work,” Louis assured Eleanor, but it did nothing to wipe the confused look off of her face.

__

“Louis, are you sure…,” she started, but a clearing throat sound interrupted her before she could finish.

__

“Going out for a bit,” Harry spoke from behind them.

__

Afraid that Harry would see the guilt on his face from talking about him, Louis refused to look over his shoulder. “Be safe," he said instead, never looking at Harry.

__

“Nice to meet you again, Ms. Calder,” Harry said stiffly, but when she turned around to respond he was already gone.

__

The apartment door closed with a solid thud, and Eleanor turned backed to Louis looking even more confused. “Okay there’s so much more going on here than you’ve let on. What gives?” 

__

Louis didn’t know if it was the gentle tone in her voice or just the need to have another person on his side, but he found himself spilling the whole story. From his and Harry’s first meeting to Harry’s blind date, only leaving out the fact that he was hopelessly in love with his best friend.

__

“Ouch,” Eleanor said when Louis ended his confession with how Harry turned down the blow job. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I agree with Zayn and Harry’s mum. You really should tell him you miss the sex, somehow I don't think he'd be opposed to hearing it.”

__

“Except he's the one who ended it in the first place. Idiot that I am, I’ve practically thrown myself at him since, but he’s turned that down too. I’m sorry, but that’s just too many brush offs for me,” Louis sounded defensive, but his eyes displayed every bit of the helplessness he was feeling.

__

“I am so missing something because I swear the way Harry acted was jealousy at its finest, and it looks like it’s more than just sex for you too. By the way you have told him that I’m gay and very happily married to the soon to be mother of my child, yes?”

__

Louis had to mentally go over the few conversations he’d had with Harry since the start of the school year. He came away blank. “No, I don't think I have, but it’s not intentional. We just haven’t talked that much lately,” he answered, realizing just how distant he and Harry had become.

__

Eleanor sighed and started gathering the few papers that were spread across the table. “Let’s put this off until another time, yeah? It’s not like we have to have a final decision before next Friday,” she told Louis and proceeded to clear away the rest of the work and their takeout remains.

__

“Thanks for understanding,” Louis said, watching Eleanor move around the kitchen before putting his head down on the table. When all the cleaning up was done she took her seat again only to look intently at Louis’ bent over form.

__

“I really think you should talk to him, but if you’re determined to see this blind date thing through I think I know someone who’d be a perfectly horrible candidate,” Eleanor sounded almost reluctant.

__

“I'm listening,” Louis responded, but the enthusiasm for his plan to get Harry back had lost its intensity. He was just tired.

__

“His name is Samuel Marsden, and he’s a professor of science at Man U,” Eleanor pulled out her phone and started going through her photos until she came to a picture of a really handsome man, around thirty years old if Louis had to guess. “As you can see he’s exceptionally gorgeous and amazingly fit, but I swear he’s literally the most boring person on the face of the planet.”

__

“And how boring is he?” Louis made it sound like the classic joke, hitting his hands on the table to mimic drums.

__

“He’s so boring that the last time we talked he took almost two hours to explain to me the benefits of posi traction on all wheel tires. Then he gave me his theory on why the polar ice caps are melting at much faster rates than scientists actually believe.”

__

“What the fuck is posi traction?” Louis asked after he stopped laughing at the horrified expression on Eleanor's face.

__

“Honestly, right,” she said, her tone matching the look on her face, “but apparently it’s something to do with how the tires on your car spin, maybe? I was afraid if I asked him to explain further he would have. Very slowly and extensively," she dead panned, and they both burst into laughter.

__

“Sounds like a winning contender to me,” Louis agreed, but still without the enthusiasm he had before.

__

“After talking with him I was still drowsy two days later,” Eleanor moaned.

__

“That’s really awful,” Louis smiled, but after a short silence the sadness over his state of affairs flittered across his face again.

__

“I feel bad for you,” Eleanor rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

__

“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Louis assured her, effectively ending all talk about Harry.

__

They moved on to the happier subject of El’s pending motherhood, something she was all too willing to talk about.

__

When she left over an hour later Louis still hadn’t decided if he would go through with setting Harry up on a second date.

__

\----

__

Because he was first and foremost Harry's best friend, and because he was worried, Louis opted to wait up.

__

He lay down on the sofa to watch repeats of _Paddington Green_ with a glass of his favorite red wine. To get more comfortable he placed a throw pillow under his head, and that was the last thing he remembered until he heard someone calling his name.

__

“Louis, wake up,” the voice sounded far off, and Louis thought he might punch the person shaking his shoulder. “Louis,” the voice called again, finally penetrating Louis' sleep fogged brain.

__

“Haz?” he sat up, putting his feet on the floor and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

__

“Hey,” Harry's tone was so gentle Louis became immediately alert.

__

“Hey, yourself. Are you okay, you seemed a bit off earlier?"

__

“Sorry about that. I’m feeling much better now. Apologize to your coworker for me, yeah?” Harry replied, offering no other explanation.

__

“Care to share?” Louis pushed, not satisfied.

__

“Maybe later. Right now I’d much rather a little cuddle,” Harry looked at Louis with a hopeful smile on his face.

__

Louis opened his arms without hesitating and Harry dropped down on the sofa. Louis didn't grasp how much he missed touching his best friend until Harry slipped his arms around his waist. “M’glad you’re better, he said, breathing in the intoxicating scent of Harry’s hair.

__

“Mmm,” Harry tightened his grip on Louis’ waist.

__

“Bad day at work?” Louis tried one more time to find out what had been bothering his roommate enough for him to be rude to a guest.

__

Harry lifted his head from Louis shoulder to look him in the eyes. “No,” he answered, continuing with the gaze so intense it made Louis stiffen up. He even briefly look away from Harry, but when their eyes met again the sexual tension was so thick Louis could almost feel it.

__

Harry moved his hand behind Louis' neck to increase the pressure, and Louis could only watch with a thudding heartbeat as Harry moved in to kiss him, instantly seeking entrance when their lips touched.

__

Louis couldn’t hold back a groan as he opened his mouth to allow Harry’s tongue in. Because his arms were already around Harry’s shoulders it was easy for him to circle them around his neck and surrender to the welcome domination.

__

Another pained groan escaped Louis when Harry allowed him to participate, and he didn't waste the granted opportunity. They continued to kiss until the need to breathe finally forced them apart, and Louis almost came in his pants when Harry started to nip at the sensitive skin on his neck. It had been so freaking long. “Harry please,” he begged, and the tiny bites turned into an outright assault. By the time Harry moved back to up Louis was a spineless puddle of need, but it turned to fear when Harry got up from the sofa.

__

“Don’t play with me, Harry,” Louis pleaded, speaking without thinking.

__

“Not playing, just collecting on our deal,” Harry drawled, and Louis’ heart may have broken the tiniest bit more at Harry’s reminder of what they were doing.

__

A week earlier he would've given anything to hear the words, but tonight they just hurt. Yet even the pain hadn’t been enough to dampen Louis’ eagerness to live up to his end of the bargain. 

__

Harry led them to Louis' bedroom, pushing Louis against the door when he closes it. After another bruising kiss he dropped to his knees and quickly started to unzip Louis’ fitted jeans.

__

“What are you doing, Haz?” he asked, only because he was supposed to be the one on their knees, definitely not because he was complaining.

__

“If you really don’t know then I guess I’ll have to show you,” Harry answered when he had Louis’ pants and jeans down around his feet.

__

When both pieces of clothing were totally removed Louis closed his eyes and waited. He popped them right back open and lost the ability to breathe when without warning Harry started suck hungrily at the drops of pre come pooled at his tip.

__

“Shit!” Louis brought one hand up to grasp Harry’s shoulder and the other to slide through the silky curls at the base of his neck.

__

Harry took all of Louis in his mouth then. Caressing, licking, and sucking with controlled and experienced moves designed to elicit a specific response.

__

“Fuck, Harry! M’not gonna last long." Louis was past caring how needy he sounded. He had been denied that feeling for way too long.

__

In response Harry took Louis in deeper into his mouth, moaning when Louis scraped his scalp with his short nails. Still his head continued to move in the familiar back and forth rhythm. He took Louis deeper and deeper into his mouth, but just when Louis’ toes curled into the carpet he pulled off with a quick kiss to his engorged tip.

__

“Take your shirt off,” Harry demanded, getting to his feet to begin removing his own clothes, the look in his eyes could only be described as lecherous.

__

In the bedroom Harry was forceful and commanding, and Louis had no problem submitting. It turned him on to the point of delirium, and that night was no different. He quickly started unbuttoning the shirt, and as soon as the material Harry fired off the next demand.

__

“On the bed, Louis,” he drawled with a head tilt in the bed’s direction.

__

Once the demand had been obeyed, Louis watched with desire darkened eyes as Harry walked over to his nightstand to lift the lube and condoms from the top drawer.

__

Louis was a little embarrassed that Harry had to remove the seal from the unused bottle of lube, but Harry hadn’t exactly been active in the sex department either from what Louis could tell.

__

With the necessities in hand Harry moved over to Louis and crawled in between his legs from bottom of the bed. He sat back on his knees and liberally covered his fingers with the lubricant, watching Louis the entire time. "Open wider," he ordered, his face was a mask of lust.

__

Louis eagerly did as he was told and Harry rewarded him by gently inserting a finger that he quickly started moving around. Louis couldn't hold back a hiss at the familiar stretch, and by the time Harry had three fingers in he was begging for more.

__

“I need you now, Harry,” he pleaded, moving erratically against the invasive digits, almost reduced to tears the need was so strong. It had been so long. Too long.

__

“Say it again, Louis. Make me believe it,” Harry commanded.

__

“I need you so bad,” Louis moaned, easily giving in and Harry quickly complied.

__

“Wrap your legs around my waist,” he grated unnecessarily, but Louis loved it, and even before his feet connected behind Harry’s back he was gifted with the full possession he craved more than breathing. The small burn when Harry first pushed in quickly subsided and Louis could only close his eyes at the sweet torture of the slow back and forth.

__

“Look at me, Louis,” Harry ordered and Louis opened his eyes to immediately get lost in Harry’s fierce gaze.

__

“Tell me how good it feels. Tell me how much you love it.”

__

“You already know. Fuck, Harry, you know...,” Louis ended with a guttural moan because Harry chose that moment to stroke his prostate, but once wasn’t enough. Their eyes stayed locked on each other as Harry repeated the movement over and over again.

__

Harry picked up the pace, thrusting and rotating his hips in movements bordering on desperation, and if the friction he was creating in between their bodies wasn't enough to push them closer to the edge, Louis his next words were.

__

“Shit I'm so close, babe.”

__

Harry groaned before he attacked Louis’ mouth again. “So tight, so good, so fucking good. Gets better every time,” he wrecked Louis more and more with every lust filled word. "Feels so good, Louis. Can't get enough. Can’t ever get enough.”

__

“Haz!”

__

“Fuck, Louis. Let me feel how good it is for you too. Come on babe, let me feel it," Harry mumbled, getting closer and closer to incoherent, but it didn't matter because Louis couldn't deny his body’s response any longer. He came in a series of mind blowing shockwaves while Harry continued to move wildly above him.

__

He reached his own release a few seconds afterwards, shouting Louis’ name.

__

It was far from the first time Harry cried Louis' name when he came, but it never failed to floor Louis. Because in those privileged moments there was no doubt that it was him and him alone giving Harry that much pleasure.

_\----_

Afterwards time lost meaning and they were in the same position for who knows how long with Louis’ legs still wrapped around Harry’s waist.

__

Harry was collapsed against Louis chest, still shaking from his own powerful release. Louis would have happily stayed in the same position forever despite the sticky mess between them, but Harry started to trail kisses over his neck and up his jawline. He ended up at Louis’ mouth, giving him a sweet and lingering kiss before lifting his head. There was a gentleness in his eyes that Louis hadn't ever noticed before.

__

Not knowing what it meant or how to respond he said the first thing he could think of. “That was amazing,” he breathed.,/P>

__

While the words weren’t a lie, but they weren't what Louis really wanted to say. The sex between them was always so intimate and raw. It touched something in Louis that he had never experienced before, and afterwards he only wanted to say I love you, but he was just too much of a coward to let the words free from their prison in his heart.

__

“Bloody amazing is right,” Harry responded tensely, closing his eyes. A second later he moved off Louis and over onto his back. “Lazy Saturday tomorrow?”

__

“Sure, mate,” Louis agreed, feeling like a pathetic idiot. There were papers to grade, but he could always do that on Sunday.

__

“It’s a date then,” Harry said lightly after he sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. “Well, I’m off to shower,” he tacked on when Louis remained quiet.

__

“Hey, Lou,” Harry looked back when he opened the door, and Louis was forced to look at him then. 

__

“Yeah?”

__

__

“Let's hope the second date goes as well as the first one,” Harry replied, then after a wink and a smirk he was gone.

The parting words hurt and confused Louis more than he already was.

If Harry wanted more sex why did he end their arrangement in the first place? He had to know he didn't need to go on a stupid blind date to get it.

“I don’t understand you at all, Harry Styles, and how the fuck am I supposed to get through the entire a day with you tomorrow?” Louis mumbled to the closed door, wishing he was the one walking out of Harry’s bedroom, leaving him alone and wrecked.

Thanks to Zayn, Louis didn’t have to spend do lazy Saturday with Harry, and by the end of the day there was also no need for the second date.

Zayn called Louis early that morning and badgered him into going shopping by reminding him of the lifetime worth of favors he promised for setting Harry up with Nick Grimshaw.

Louis was still asleep when his phone rang, and when he hung up all he knew was he had an hour to be showered and dressed because of Zayn spouting something about Liam being promoted from junior fireman to crew manager.

After taking the much needed shower Louis made his way to the kitchen in the still quiet apartment where he had just enough time to make a cup of tea before Zayn arrived exactly at the time he said he would.

Louis didn't want to wake Harry so he texted him detailing the change of plans and the reason behind it.

While helping his former roommate shop for the perfect congratulatory gift Louis learned that it was practically unheard of for someone of Li's age to be promoted to crew manager. A fact Zayn continued to gush over during the lunch Louis offered to pay for after seeing the obscene amount his friend paid for a rare Batman comic book.

Liam happened to be obsessed with the superhero, and there was no doubt he'd love the extravagant gift, so Louis was happy to pay for their food, even more so when Zayn surprised him with more interesting news over their meal of beef and chicken tacos.

“I’m doing it tonight, Louis. I’m telling him."

Louis was about to take a giant bite out of his taco, but paused in midair with his head tilted at an awkward angle. “Are you sure this is the right time?” he sat the beef filled tortilla back on the plastic tray, smiling at Zayn's flushed face. His gold brown eyes were lit with excitement. He’d started wearing his hair feathered and cut close to his head, leaving the quiff he’d worn for almost two years behind.

“I’m sure. I know I haven’t been misreading him. I really think Liam feels the same way about me,” Zayn said passionately, and Louis agreed with him even though he was less enthused.

The only long term relationship Liam had been since becoming their friend was with a very nice girl from his hometown that lasted a little over eight months, but with him working in London they hadn't been able to see each other as much as either of them would have liked and it ultimately led to their breakup.

That had been a pretty rough time for Zayn, loving Liam and watching him suffer. Louis didn’t want to see Zayn hurt like that again. It would be much worse considering what was at stake, but since the breakup Liam had dated both men and women. Nothing serious so Zayn’s chances with him looked really good in Louis’ opinion despite his cautiousness. “You gonna break the news before or after the bar?” he asked.

Zayn's plan for them, along with Harry and Niall, was to surprise Liam at his favorite bar for celebratory drinks. They confirmed with Harry when he texted Louis to complain about waking up to an empty apartment and the cancelation of their lazy Saturday.

“After of course, you git. We probably wouldn’t make it if I told him before,” Zayn bragged.

Louis responded to the insinuation with a smile. “But wouldn’t you rather be sober when you do it?” he asked, only catching the double meaning when Zayn burst out laughing.

“Yes to both your questions,” Zayn responded, his flush becoming deeper. “That’s why I’m only having a couple of drinks, and Li only has the one day off so he can't have anything more than a couple of pints. See, I really put a lot of thought into it,” he said proudly before picking up his chicken taco, and he bit into it with so much enthusiasm Louis choked on the soda he was sipping.

“You have at that, and I really hope it goes well for you, mate,” he said genuinely. He’d believed for some time that Liam was into Zayn so he was still only little worried.

“You know there’s more than enough room for one more confession tonight. Care to join me in stepping out on a limb?”

Louis didn’t have to ask Zayn to elaborate. Of course he didn’t. “Not even going there with you, mate. Besides, missing a good fuck and being in love are two entirely different things.”

“Louis, you know it’s more than that. Why won’t you just admit it before this goes somewhere it doesn't have to?” Zayn asked, almost pleading like.

“Admit to what?” Louis responded before picking up the last of his taco.

\----

After lunch they did more shopping because Louis wanted to get Liam a gift. He settled on a wallet friendly book chronicling the different actors who portrayed Batman in television and film, and it was almost three when Zayn dropped him back at his and Harry's.

Louis was exhausted and not in the mood to face his best friend. He went straight to his room and slept until it was time to get ready to go out.

Harry was waiting for him when he came out of his room, and when they arrived at the bar the other three boys were already there. Zayn waived them over the second they stepped through the door, and when they made it to the table Harry stepped back to let Louis slide into the c shaped booth. He followed, pressing in really close, a fact Louis found hard to ignore.

Liam was surprised and embarrassed when they revealed the real reason for the get together, and he blushed profusely at all the congratulations. He gave Zayn a super tight hug when he opened the gift box and found the comic inside, leaving Zayn beaming when they separated.

The first sour moment of the night happened when Liam practically gushed thanks to a red faced Harry for buying him the book Louis paid for.

In an act of kindness, Louis decided to make it a gift from him, Harry, and Niall, but for some reason Harry didn't open his mouth to clear it up. Zayn had to awkwardly point out the other two names on the gift tag before Liam deemed to thank Louis and Niall, and after he apologized, the tension caused by the weirdness eased and the five of them settled in to enjoy the night.

As a contribution Niall and Harry paid for and collected the first round of drinks, but when it was time for the second round, Zayn asked Louis to go with him to the bar.

That’s when the night took a turn for the worst.

At least it did for Louis and Zayn.

\----

“Where are Haz and Liam?” Louis asked Niall who was sitting by himself at the table. Zayn passed him one of the bottles and looked in the direction of where their friend was pointing.

The shocked expression on Zayn face made Louis scared to turn around too. “Shit,” he said when he finally looked towards the dance floor.

He immediately understood the look on Zayn’s face the minute he spotted Harry and Liam. Despite all the room on the small dance floor they were pressed together without an inch of space between them.

“Yeah, shit about sums it up,” Zayn agreed, eyes still locked on the dancing couple.

Like him, Louis watched with morbid fascination as Harry smiled coyly at Liam.

Liam's hands were on Harry’s hips, Harry’s arms were linked around Liam’s neck, and Louis was thrown for the biggest loop to ever exist.

Harry telling him he wanted to see someone else right after having sex with him was nothing compared to actually looking at Harry with someone else right after having sex him.

“What in the actual fuck?” Louis muttered under his breath. It took only about ten minutes to get the beers. How in the fuck did that happen in ten minutes?

When he finally looked away from the dance floor Zayn was already in his seat again, staring very hard at the bottle of Foster's in his hand.

“I see a mate from work at the bar. Back in a bit,” Niall told them, sounding cheerfully unaware.

“It’s just a dance, yeah?” Louis asked, trying to reassure Zayn, and himself in the process.

__

“You’re fucking kidding me, right? _Mr. I only see one name on the gift tag_ is practically having sex on the dance floor with your fuck buddy, Louis,” Zayn sneered, his voice breaking on the last words.

__

“I’m sorry, Z," Louis knew Zayn’s heart had to breaking because his own was utterly shattered.

__

Before Zayn could respond to Louis the reasons for their mutual heartbreak returned to the table holding hands, and instead of taking his former seat beside Louis, Harry slid in the booth next to Liam.

__

The night only got worse from that point.

__

The two new lovebirds may as well have stayed on the dance floor for all the attention they paid to anyone else at the table.

__

“I’ll tell Harry how you feel about Liam, and he’ll stop this I’m sure,” Louis whispered to an increasingly sullen Zayn.

__

“Don’t you even dare!” Zayn spat under his breath. “If we’re all of a sudden into spilling secrets, why don’t you let me tell Liam how you feel about Harry. I’m sure he’ll back off too, but what would it accomplish seeing that in the space of twenty fucking minutes they’re obviously so into each other?” 

__

"I think twenty minutes is grossly generous," Louis mumbled, and looking at Harry and Liam practically melt into each other, he regretted his secrecy pact with Zayn for the first time.

__

If Harry knew how much Zayn loved Liam he wouldn’t be smiling at the fireman like a smitten idiot, and if Liam knew that Louis and Harry were, as Zayn so delicately put it, he definitely wouldn’t be all over Harry. Louis was certain of it.

__

In the over two years that they had all been friends, Louis couldn’t recall one time where there had been a hint of an attraction between Liam and Harry. He was positive Liam returned Zayn’s feelings, but from the giddy way he was smiling at Harry it appeared Louis was wrong.

__

Louis could only look on in hurt and bewilderment as the scene continued to play out. He was just about to voice his confusion when Niall made a brief return to the table to congratulate Liam once more before begging off, saying he had to work the early shift at the restaurant the next day.

__

Lucky for him he missed the true breaking point of the night.

__

Not a full five minutes after he left Liam picked up the very expensive comic book Zayn brought him, proceeded to open it, then whisper to an engrossed Harry as he excitedly pointed out whatever the fuck he was pointing on the pages.

__

“Fuck this!” Zayn said loud enough for only Louis' ears, but the, “I’m out of here,” was for the whole table.

__

Louis had to move to let him out of the booth, but he grabbed Zayn's arm before he could make his eixt. “Don’t leave,” he pleaded quietly after they were both standing.

__

“Sorry, my friend, but if I stay I’ll grab that comic and rip it apart. Or maybe Liam. Yeah, ripping Liam apart sounds much better. Insensitive arse,” Zayn whispered fiercely against Louis’ ear before turning and walking towards the exit without looking back.

__

When Louis reluctantly turned back to the table Liam was hurriedly gathering his gifts. “Zayn’s my ride,” Liam explained to Louis before turning to Harry. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, yeah?” 

__

“The day is yours, and I can’t wait,” Harry smiled softly, and in that moment Louis didn’t know if he was more hurt for him or for Zayn.

__

“Thanks again for the gift, Lou. It’s awesome,” Liam turned to Louis one more time before rushing after Zayn.

__

Louis sat down again, watching Harry watch Liam’s departure, and he really wanted to just bang his head over and over again on the wood table. “What are you even doing, Haz?” he asked.

__

When Harry looked at him with a clueless expression on his face, Louis changed his mind in favor of banging his roommate's head on the table.

__

“What do you mean?” Harry sounded confused.

__

“Liam, that’s what I mean. Your friend for over two years who you've never before tonight shown any interest in,” Louis tried to keep the anger out of his voice, but failed.

__

“He said he's been interested in me for some time. I didn’t know, but I do now, and I just want to see where it goes,” Harry said bashfully. “He’s perfect, and I think it would be more than just sex," he added, and okay, that last fucking bit was just wrong. "He’s sexy as hell, and have you smelled him?” he continued, unnecessarily in Louis' opinion. Really unnecessarily.

__

_"No I haven't smelled him, and I think I fare pretty well in the odor department myself, but you’ve never gushed over how I smell, you arsehole,"_ Louis thought as he squashed the urge to lift one of his arms and sniff.

__

“Besides, can you give me a reason why I shouldn’t?” Harry asked, looking closely at Louis.

__

Yes, Louis could have given his roommate two very good reasons why he shouldn’t get involved with Liam, but he couldn’t bring himself to expose his or Zayn’s feelings.

__

So instead Louis smiled the brittle smile that would feel pasted to his face for the next few weeks before answering. “No, Haz. I can’t think of a single reason why you shouldn’t.”

__

\----

__

“I think you should go with the dark brown pair,” Louis points to the boots in question.

__

Harry’s holding a pretty much worn out pair of chocolate colored suede ankle boots in one hand and a newer pair of camel colored ones in the other. He's worn the chocolate colored pair so much they're faded in spots with holes on the bottom, and they're so turned over his feet looked deformed in them now, which is exactly why Louis recommended them.

__

He may have lost Harry to Liam, but he wasn’t exactly going to make this night easy for them. Not by a long shot. The last three weeks have been torture for him, so why shouldn’t he return the favor?

__

The need for petty revenge and Harry's mum says he should. So Louis will do his best to ruin Harry and Liam’s special night.

__

Even if it doesn't change anything.

__

\----

__

Harry and Liam did spend their day together, and almost every day afterwards, if their work schedules permitted them to.

__

Louis had to suffer through every single day of watching them because more often than not the pair ended up at their flat.

__

Yeah, it was painful to watch, but Louis he was kind of glad they came to his and Harry’s instead of having Zayn suffer from seeing them together, but seeing as the art teacher cut off all communications with Louis the day after the bar fiasco, Louis had no idea how his ex dorm mate was handling the new development.

__

Zayn didn’t respond to any of Louis’ texts or calls the night Liam and Harry got together, but finally the next day he received a text. Zayn apologized for ignoring him, but he asked for a little time to get over everything.

__

The little time turned out to be quite a bit longer than Louis expected and two weeks later Zayn still wasn't speaking to him. He even avoided Louis at work which wasn't easy to do since they taught the same levels. If it hadn’t been for Jay and Anne calling him almost every day to cheer him up, Louis probably would have cracked under the absolute torture.

__

Anne even started calling him _Still the One_ , and Louis believed her influence was rubbing off on Jay because she always managed to bring the subject around to him and Harry.

__

Niall had even started sending him cheerful texts, squeezing in updates on Zayn for which Louis was grateful. He didn't know exactly how much Niall knew, but he had to know something or why else would he include Zayn in his texts.

__

In the end it was Eleanor who turned out to be the real lifesaver.

__

She found Louis crying in the classroom during the free period on the day Harry and Liam had been _a thing_ for two weeks.

__

Louis was missing Zayn, and he was absolutely heartbroken over Harry. That day it all just happened to be a little too much for him to handle.

__

Eleanor let Louis cry on her shoulder and she listened while he poured his heart out. When he finished she insisted that he join her and Aislynn on their upcoming weekend mini vacation.

__

Louis refused at first because he didn't want to impose, but Eleanor insisted, saying that he could stay off to himself if he chose, and she called her wife to get reinforcement.

__

Louis had already met the very pregnant mum to be more than once on the occasions she visited El at school, and they hit if off from the first meeting just like he and El had. It’s why he wasn't surprised to hear her demand that he come along with her and El.

__

It didn't take much after that for Louis to agree because he just couldn't stand another weekend of Harry and Liam in his flat, and the next day the three of them drove down to Margate, where El’s parents owned a home near the beach at Walpole Bay.

__

\----

__

A very smiley and much friendlier Harry was home when Eleanor and Aislynn arrived to pick Louis up. Of course Liam was there too, and after Louis made the introductions he ushered his friends out of the door as quickly as he could.

__

He found out almost the second they got into El’s car why the two women made such a good pair. It came in them having a little fun at Louis’ expense.

__

“Wow, wow, wow! How on earth is it that four of the most handsome men on earth are best friends?” Aislynn gushed. “I mean I’ve already met you and Zayn, and El told me about Harry. By the way words don’t do him justice, but now the fireman. I mean, just wow!” she continued to lay it on.

__

“Doesn’t seem fair to the swooning straight women of the world that the four bastards are also not straight,” Eleanor added dryly.

__

“Apparently we can make lesbian and very pregnant women swoon too,” Louis put in arrogantly from the backseat, deciding he would wait awhile before showing them the pictures of Niall on his phone.

__

Aislynn turned around as much as her seatbelt and seven month round belly would allow, and maturely stuck her tongue out at Louis. “Actually, Harry's the only one I would swoon over, but you’ve nothing to worry about because I happen to already love someone else very much, thank you,” she said, smiling tenderly at Eleanor.

__

“You mean Liam has nothing to worry about?” Louis corrected, smarting from the unintentionally hurtful words.

__

“No, I mean you because there is absolutely no chemistry between those two,” Aislynn looked over her shoulder into the backseat once more.

__

“I had the exact same thoughts. Surely you’ve noticed it too, Lou?” Eleanor asked, meeting Louis' gaze in the rearview mirror.

__

The thing was he knew exactly what they were talking about. He noticed it the night at the bar when Liam rushed after Zayn without even looking back at Harry like someone newly infatuated would, and if he had really wanted to stay he could have caught a ride with them.

__

There was also the time Louis caught Harry and Liam unawares after walking out of his bedroom. They were sitting on the couch, not really close, but when Louis walked out of the kitchen after grabbing a bottle of water they were pressed together, smiling goofily at each other.

__

Incidents like that happened over and over, and sometimes it seemed like someone had to be watching them before they were affectionate with each other. Even then something was lacking, but Louis chalked it up to the newness of the relationship and left it alone.

__

“Sometimes I question it, but what can you do? It's new and they’re getting used to each other so I guess it is what it is. Now how about we talk some more about how good looking I am?” Louis attempted to direct the conversation elsewhere, not wanting to talk about Harry and Liam anymore.

__

“Why hell to the no,” Eleanor answered."

__

Louis laughed along with the giggly couple in the front seat, but he had no clue what made the remark so funny. Even when Aislynn explained that it was a quote from one of her wife's favorite singers he still didn't get it.

__

\----

__

Thankfully they didn't mention Harry and Liam again the entire weekend, and the mini vacation turned out to be exactly what Louis needed.

__

The day and a half of sitting on the beach, swimming in the cool waters of Walpole Bay, playing crazy golf, and eating fish and chips from the cafe on the dock did great things for his morale.

__

The highlight to the trip came when Louis finally showed the two women a picture of Niall, and Aislynn declared their friendship had to be some kind of weird social experiment because the chances of five men with looks like theirs all being friends just didn’t exist.

__

Eleanor chimed in and added that if they ever decided to form a boyband she'd love to manage them, and Louis laughed at the ridiculousness of the suggestion. As if they ever would.

__

The most poignant moment of the trip happened while Louis watched how genuinely in love El and Aislynn were. How perfect they looked together as they walked down the beach holding hands.

__

That was when he decided it was time for him to find his own Mr. Wonderful. He even considered asking Eleanor for boring guy's number. Boring would be safe, and if she hadn’t exaggerated and the guy did possess the gift to incite a snooze, at least he'd catch up on some of the sleep he’d lost over Harry.

__

As a result Louis returned from the weekend getaway more tanned and more determined to move on from Harry, but the new found resolve only lasted until the next night.

__

It was one of the rare nights the love struck duo took their affectionate displays somewhere else.

__

Louis was beyond relieved that he didn’t have to see them together, and he was almost asleep when Harry came into his room with a sheepish smile on his face, callously announcing that he was ready to take things to the next level with Liam.

__

In the process he sent Louis spiraling right back to square one.

__

Dejected and heartbroken.

__

\----

__

That was four days ago, and why Louis agreed to be Harry’s wingman tonight he’ll never know, but here he is helping the man he's in love with get ready to go screw someone else. Digging the knife in deeper, Harry even begged him to stay in the entire night in case something went wrong, and how could Louis say no to his best friend. Even if he is unbelievably clueless.

__

“Well, I guess that’s it. How do I look?” Harry asks.

__

It’s a mystery to Louis how someone can look so fucking beautiful while standing with their feet turned inward, but Harry is beautiful and he makes a striking image with the heart covered black silk that's now stuffed into the black skinny jeans with the stylish holes at the knees. His hair is softly quaffed, the natural curls only remaining at the nape of his neck and around his ears. Even the worn out boots enhance the overall look. The final touch of the black trench coat he has on to ward off the chill of the London night only adds to the picture of startling attractiveness.

__

“I repeat, Liam’s a lucky man tonight,” Louis calls on every acting skill he’s ever learned as he looks into the eyes that seem greener against all the black of the outfit.

__

"I’m off then, yeah?”

__

It sounds like Harry's asking for permission to leave, and the way he just stands without moving makes it appear that way too.

__

“Well what are you waiting on? Go get your man,” Louis commands with a tight smile.

__

“That was my plan all along, Louis,” Harry responds, taking his keys from the bureau before walking out of the room in a cloud of stink that hurts Louis’ nostrils when his roommate brushes by him.

__

It’s really not that bad.

__

Louis trails after Harry, confused by his choice of words. He also thought Harry looked sad for a split second, and for the first time of the entire evening he speaks out of concern, not envy or jealousy. “Haz, are you okay? Are you sure about this?”

__

“What wouldn’t I be sure about?” Harry replies, his eyes hard and unfriendly as he glances over his shoulder.

__

Louis can only stare because he's thrown off and can’t formulate an answer.

__

Harry looks exasperated before he turns back to the door. “I’m fine, Louis. See you in a bit,” he says before closing the door.

__

Louis almost collapses under the enormity of the pain crushing his heart.

__

\----

__

Almost an hour later Louis is still puzzled by the way Harry acted before he left to pick up Liam. He just got off the phone with Anne, even more nervous now that they’ve gone over the checklist for their special plans for the big night.

__

After making sure Louis followed her every instruction, Anne rang off, but not before telling Louis that if she hasn’t heard from him by noon tomorrow, she’ll assume he’s either dead or on the run. She also gave Louis permission to blame the entire thing on her if her son did somehow manage to get his hands around Louis’ neck.

__

Louis had actually been able to follow most of Anne’s instructions while Harry was in the shower, and he had very little to do when Harry left the flat.

__

_I Ain’t Missing You_ by John Waite is playing now, and again Louis is sure that someone at Pandora is secretly spying on him and playing songs to add to his pain. He also thinks he should probably take a piss as he’ll more than likely be hiding out in his bedroom for the rest of the night.

__

Where to he doesn’t know, but Louis knows he would've been long gone by now if it weren’t for the ridiculous request from Harry that he stay.

__

Just as Louis is about to head to the loo his phone buzzes with a text alert. He’s surprised when the home screen lights up with Zayn’s picture.

__

_Z: Sorry for being such an arsehole the last few weeks. Love you mate. Forgive me?_

__

Tears prick Louis' eyes because he really needed his friend's support on tonight of all nights.

__

_Lou: Of course I forgive you, and I understand. How are you? Missed you._

__

_Z: Really in a good place now. You?_

__

_Lou: Not good, but I’m keeping my chin up. Trying to at least._

__

Louis knows Zayn will understand what he's just confessed with the simple words. He also knows Zayn enough to know that there will be no _I told you so_.

__

_Z: So sorry, man._

__

_Lou: No worries. I’ll be fine. Lessons lived, lessons learned, and all that good bullshit._

__

_Z: I'm pretty sure you’ll be just fine. Let’s hang in a few to catch up. By the way, I missed you too.xx_

__

_Lou: Look forward to it. Call u soon._

__

\----

__

Louis is so stoked that Zayn reached out to him he forgets about his intended trip to the bathroom. Instead he begins to go over a mental checklist of the things he'll need while Harry and Liam enjoy their special date.

__

There's tequila, which he hates, but he needs something more potent than the red wine he usually goes for. There's also a shot glass waiting on his bedside table, ear plugs which Anne suggested he have on hand in case too much noise comes from Harry's bedroom, and lastly, a box of tissues which Louis is surprised that he hasn’t used a single one of yet.

__

No sooner than the thought occurs to him _Right Here Waiting_ by Richard Marx begins to play, and as he starts to sing along with the song, Louis is sure as he starts to sing along that the Pandora people really have bugged the flat.

__

When the chorus comes Louis stops singing, and determined not to cry, he reaches over to turn the music off. He turns over onto his stomach, unable to shake the feeling that he’s forgotten something, but for the life of him he can't remember what it is. “Tequila, earplugs, tissue. Tequila, ear plugs, tissue,” he quietly chants the words over and over again, hoping it will help him recall what he’s forgotten. “Tequila, earplugs, …”

__

“Lou, who are you talking to?”

__

Fucking shit! Louis instantly remembers he was supposed to lock his bedroom door. He was so focused on his checklist he didn't hear Harry enter the apartment or open the door to his room.

__

“Uh, no one. Just trying to remember something,” Louis turns over onto his back to look at his best friend, and he swears Harry’s gotten more beautiful in the short time he's been gone. “How long have you been here? Liam in the kitchen?”

__

“Back in the flat for about fifteen minutes. In your door long enough to hear you mumble something about earplugs and tequila, and it turns out Liam made other plans for tonight. So no, he’s not in kitchen,” Harry bites down on his bottom lip before looking down then stuffs his hands in his jean pockets.

__

The sight breaks Louis' heart, and the best friend in him springs in to action. “Hey, are you okay? What happened?” he asks, after jumping off of the bed and rushing over to where Harry's standing.

__

__

“I guess he’s not as into me as I thought,” Harry lifts his shoulders, only to drop them again.

__

“Haz, I’m so sorry," Louis consoles, and it’s only natural for him to pull his best friend into a tight embrace. He really is sorry, but he can’t help the relief soaring through him. He also suspects Liam’s change of heart might be connected to Zayn, but he can’t hurt Harry by telling him that. At least not right now, but he deserves to know it if it's true. “I’m here for you, mate. Do you need me to do anything at all for you?”

__

“Yeah, there is something you can do," Harry accepts the offer without hesitating. "I’ll understand if you say no, but could you eat with me? Don’t fancy letting all that food go to waste."

__

“Of course, anything you need, Haz,” Louis agrees though he’d rather not be a substitute, but that’s what best friends are for, right? “Erm, do you want me to change into a better outfit?” he asks, suddenly embarrassed by the sleeveless tee, cut off denims, and unstyled hair laying lifelessly across his head.

__

“If you want, but you look fine to me. Just dinner between friends, innit?” Harry replies, stepping back when he asks the apathetic question.

__

“Well then, lead on Mr. Styles,” Louis charges, only a little more hurt than he already is at the lack of enthusiasm in Harry’s tone.

__

Louis knows he should be ashamed for wishing something like this would happen, but he’s not. How can he be when he's too busy being relieved that he’s the one sharing tonight with Harry, not Liam.

__

\----

__

When Louis walks in the kitchen he wishes he had changed clothes because the way he's dressed and his bare feet does not mesh at all with the sweet scene greeting him.

__

Lit candles are arranged on the elegantly set table and along both of countertops, the soft flicker of the flames casting a golden glow over the entire kitchen.

__

On the table there's beautiful lace tablecloth Louis has never seen before. On a stand next the table is a silver bucket filled with ice and a bottle of Louis’ all-time favorite red wine.

__

Envy sets in as the soft notes of _Careless Whisper_ begin to fill the kitchen.

__

Finding out the wine Harry purchased that morning had been a punch to Louis’ gut. The music choice does nothing but add insult to the festering injury. The mere fact that Harry had planned on listening to 80’s love songs with Liam rather than the song itself is the real insult, but Louis said he would do this for Harry and he will. Even if it kills him.

__

Earlier in the week Louis had already swallowed a boatload of hurt when Harry informed him that he was preparing homemade mash, garden peas, and pot roast. Not only was it the first meal Harry cooked for them in the flat, but it's also Louis’ favorite meal ever. Harry knows it is.

__

After Louis sits down at the table he watches the cause of all his pain plate the delicious smelling meal, and he can’t help marveling at all the work Harry put into making the date that should have been for him so special.

__

For about three seconds Louis hates Liam, but it doesn't last because if he hadn’t cancelled the date Louis thinks he would probably be alcohol poisoned by now.

__

Even during the past three weeks it had been impossible for Louis to be mad at Liam. He always looked like he was a minute away from apologizing for something, and maybe Louis wasn’t as close to Liam as he was to Zayn, but Louis still considered him to be one of his best friends. At this point that wasn't about to change, but Liam was definitely going to get a much deserved dressing down for hurting Harry.

“Everything looks wonderful,” Louis smiles at Harry as he places a plate in front of him. “When did you have time to do all of this?” He knows for a fact the kitchen looked nothing like this before Harry left.

__

“Doesn’t take long to light a few candles,” Harry answers matter of factly after takes his own seat across from Louis. He immediately removes the wine bottle from the ice, pulls the loose cork out and pours Louis a full glass then one for himself.

__

“Don’t be modest, Haz, this is more than just a few candles,” Louis presses, genuinely impressed and envious.

__

“Well, I’m really fucking happy you appreciate it. Now can we just eat?” Harry almost shouts, causing Louis to startle. He's stunned by the harsh words and reminded again this night was supposed to be for Liam, but it doesn't give Harry the right to take it out on him Louis thinks as he starts to get up from the table.

__

“Louis, I’m really sorry. Please, don’t go,” Harry reaches out to touch him, but pulls back before he makes contact. He looks relieved when Louis sits back down. “It’s just frustrating doing this for someone who’s so clueless,” he explains remorsefully.

__

The irony that those are the same word he used to describe Harry earlier is not lost on Louis, and as REO Speedwagon's _I’m Gonna Keep On Loving You_ plays softly in the background, he's unsure of what he should say. Or if he should say anything at all. “It’s alright, I get it,” he finally responds, but he keeps his eyes on the beautifully plated food. He doesn't mention Liam for his sake more than Harry’s.

__

“Thanks, mate. Now eat up. Don’t want your food getting cold," Harry's lightly spoken words do little to alleviate the strained tension in the room, but Louis picks up his fork anyway. Despite his appetite is nonexistent.

__

Like mirrors they both go for the mashed potatoes, each taking a fork full into their mouths. In the same fashion they both immediately spit the starch back onto their plates.

__

“Shit! That was bloody awful!” Louis grabs his water goblet, but no matter how he swishes the water around in his mouth, the overwhelming salt taste remains.

__

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_ He was so caught up in Harry’s drama that he forgot about the drama he and Anne had planned. How much extra salt had he added to the potatoes anyway?

__

“I don’t understand,” Harry's says after taking a second gulp of water. He sounds totally perplexed.

__

“Erm, maybe you were too preoccupied?” Louis asks, the question sounding hopeful because he very much hopes that Harry buys the outrageous lie.

__

“Occupied, my arse! I’ve made that dish a hundred times for you. You know I would never use that much salt,” Harry looks across the table with suspicion in his eyes.

__

_Mission Abort! Mission abort!_

__

Louis’ pulse speeds up and his heart feels like it's about to beat out of his chest. “Maybe the salt is tainted,” he offers lamely. "I think we should dump the plates if you used it to season everything,” he adds, trying to prevent Harry from tasting the pot roast.

__

Louis reaches out to take Harry’s plate, but Harry stops him before he can. Relief swamps Louis when Harry chooses to sample the peas instead of the meat.

__

“No, it’s not the salt,” Harry mutters while frowning down at his plate, still chewing on a mouthful of peas.

__

Louis is stumped that Harry actually considered something could be wrong with the salt, but he doesn't have long to focus on it because...

__

_"No! No! No! No! No!"_ he screams silently, and his expression changes from hopeful to horrified as his possibly soon to be ex best friend and lover picks up a chunk of the roast with his fork.

__

As much as he’d like to Louis can't look away. He follows with comically wide eyes as the fork travels from the plate via Harry’s hand until it reaches Harry’s mouth. Louis continues to watch while Harry chews the tender piece of roast, and he's not at all surprised when his best friend starts to cough and gasp for breath.

__

Louis expected that 80 milliliters of cayenne powder would cause some burn, but based on Harry's deep red flush and frantic fanning it looks like he and Anne may have underestimated just how much of a burn the ground peppers could cause.

__

Louis looks on in stunned silence as Harry grabs his water glass and drains it before reaching for his wine glass.

__

__

_The wine!_

__

_Shit!_

__

“Harry, no!”

__

The warning is too late.

__

Harry takes a huge enough drink of the wine that his cheeks puff out, but after he swallows he immediately starts gagging. He sits the glass down so hard that the circular bottom breaks off and the rest of the wine spills onto the table cloth as the top part of the glass topples over.

__

Harry leaps from his seat without sparing the spilled wine a glance, and he starts rinsing his mouth out as soon as he makes it over to the sink.

__

Louis doesn't know if Harry's trying to combat the heat from the cayenne or wash out the taste of wine mixed with a bottle and a half of Night Nurse and some vinegar.

__

Louis sure wishes he hadn’t listened to Harry’s mum, but still he looks on transfixed. Just thinking about the taste of the vile cold medicine and the vinegar almost makes him gag, but the medication had been the only thing he could find to combat the strong smell of the vinegar, which of course had been Anne’s idea to use to ruin the sweet wine.

__

“What the fuck have you done, Louis?”

__

The quiet fury in the way Harry asks the question frightens Louis much more than it would have if Harry were yelling at him.

__

“Deny, deny, deny,” Louis is just about to do that very thing until he looks into Harry’s eyes and finds the accusing fury in them to match his tone.

__

“Uhm, one day we’re going find this really funny.”

__

__

Okay, maybe not judging from building rage on Harry’s face.

__

Louis instinctively stands up, going into fight or flight mode as Harry slowly and menacingly advances towards him. “Haz it’s not…, Fuck!” He chooses flight.

__

“Louis!”

__

Turns out a loud furious Harry is just as scary as a quiet furious Harry, and it makes Louis run faster, but it’s to no avail because he’s stopped mid run by a strong grip on his shoulder before he even makes it past the living room.

__

Not done, Harry spins Louis around, grabs him by the other shoulder and pushes him against the dividing wall in the room.

__

“Dammit, there’s no call to be so rough,” Louis squirms under the bruising grip before pushing against Harry’s non-budging chest. Okay maybe he'd been wrong about Harry's cologne because it smells really good. Maybe it's his panic mixed in with it now that's giving it a new life.

__

“Not being rough yet,” Harry says menacingly, the implied is threat clear. “Again, why’d you ruin all of my hard work, and nearly kill me in the process?”

__

Louis nervously wonders if the pulse at his neck is beating as strong as Harry’s. It sure feels like it. “Don’t be so dramatic, Haz,” he responds, then realizes maybe it’s not the time for cheekiness when Harry’s grip on his shoulders tightens.

__

“I really would quit while you’re behind, Louis. Now last chance to answer me, and know that I’m so close to socking you it won’t take much to push me over the edge,” Harry warns through clinched teeth, and Louis does what any self-respecting, beer drinking, footie playing, manly man would do when being threatened by a taller individual who's so irate he’s shaking.

__

He throws the lovely and accommodating Anne Cox soon to be Anne Twist under the bus.

__

Well, she did give him permission to.

__

“It was all your mum’s idea. Everything, all of it I swear. She tells me all the time that I’m the one and that we should give her grandchildren. Meaning me and you, but I told her it’s not true. That you don't feel the same about me, but she just wouldn’t listen. Said her intuition was always right. Then we started sleeping together, but then you ended it. I was upset about it and so was she, but then she told me about a show called _Disaster Date._ and how your gran used to say _”You don’t know what you got until you have something to compare it to,"_ but it didn’t quite work because you found Liam, and next thing we know you’re telling me you want to take things to the next freaking level with him, and you wanted me. Me of all people to help you! So your mum said if you wanted tonight to be so special then we should help you make it a night you’d never forget. So we did. Well I did, but I only followed her instructions. Well, most of her instructions. Then I forgot all about it because you were so upset about Liam ditching you, and I didn’t remember until I tasted the potatoes,” Louis finally takes a much needed and shuddering breath. “That’s it basically,” he concludes, the words sounding deflated and unsure after the rushed explanation.

__

The expression on Harry’s face would be hilarious if Louis wasn’t still afraid that his life was about to be cut short. “Not a drop of what you said makes even a little sense, but from what I do understand I’m assuming my mum had a heavy hand in this. Which really does not surprise me at all, but you? I just don’t get it, Louis. Why did you go along with it?” Harry asks, appearing more irritated than furious now.

__

Knowing it's now or never, Louis takes another deep breath then makes one of the hardest confessions he’s ever made in his life. “Because I wanted it to be me,” he whispers, his throat tight with emotion as he focuses on the thudding pulse on Harry's neck.

__

“Are you saying you went along with all of this tonight and setting me up with the date from hell just so you could have another go in the sack with me?” Harry asks, the anger making its way back into his voice.

__

Louis is angry too. The outrageous question causes fury to overtake any fear he feels. He shoves against Harry’s chest, and this time he steps back against the unexpected move.

__

“You’re such a dick, Harry. Of course it would have to be about sex, wouldn’t it?” Louis walks to the middle of the room, his blue eyes glowing with anger as he stares his roommate down. “Yes I encouraged you and watched you take hours to get ready for a bloody date because I want to get back into your pants. I listened to you gush all week about your plans which just happened to include you buying my favorite wine and cooking my favorite meal for Liam fucking Payne just so you could shag me again. Oh, and here’s a little tip for you, mate. No one wants to be a bloody second choice. Even best friends draw the line somewhere, and just so you know, they made music before and after the eighties! You couldn’t have been more unoriginal if you tried.”

__

Louis can’t help the tears filling his eyes. Fucking arsehole Harry. 

__

“So, yes I watched while you took the things that you knew were special to me and you, and use them to help you take your relationship with Liam to the next level, just so I could have the privilege of shagging you again. Can’t get anything past you, can I?” Louis accuses, proud that at least his voice remained strong because everything else is close to shattering.

__

When Harry doesn't respond, but continues to stare with a blank expression on his face, the anger spurring Louis on disappears and all that’s left is the pain that he’s suffered over the last few months. He knows he probably sounds irrational and petty. He also knows he doesn't have a monopoly any of those things he accused Harry of, but he always thought it was the little things that made him and Harry special. Until the past week believed Harry felt the same way.

__

“How could you?” Louis asks brokenly after turning away from a still silent Harry. He doesn't care what he just gave away because he's just so tired of it all.

__

“You can’t think of any other reason as to why I would do all of those things?” Harry speaks directly into Louis’ ear, leaning over his shoulder from behind.

__

Louis is startled because Harry moved silently again, and he instantly smarts from the question. “Other than for you to get Liam to drop his pants for you, no Harry, I can’t think of another reason,” he says snidely after folding his arms across his chest.

__

Harry exhales deeply before he turns Louis around, and when Louis looks up the anger is gone from Harry’s eyes. It’s replaced by something much more tender. “Maybe I should say, can you think of any other person I would do all those things for?" he asks, staring pointedly at Louis. "Or is there any other person I would tell that I hate dating and pretend to want to be sex buddies just so I could be with him, and then ask the same person to not see anyone else because I couldn’t risk losing him to another bloke who might make the first move. Or do you know of another person I couldn’t live without for two whole weeks so I followed him and practically begged him to leave his family early to come back to London with me? Or anyone else that I would stop sleeping with them because I was in way too deep and couldn’t take being their rebound sex anymore?” he pauses before continuing in a much gentler tone. “Or anyone else who could get me to pretend to date _Liam fucking Payne_ in order to find out if said person had any feelings for me outside of the bedroom and our friendship. Anyone other than Liam come to mind, Louis? Anyone at all?” 

__

It's hard for Louis to hear his thoughts over his thudding heartbeat, but he thinks he should be rushing into Harry’s arms. However his mouth leads him in another direction. “You and Liam were only pretending?”

__

For some reason Louis can’t quite grasp what that means.

__

After sighing again Harry takes Louis by the hand and pulls him towards the sofa. “Come sit down, Louis.”

__

Once he's seated Harry sits directly in front of him on the mahogany table, biting nervously on his bottom lip before speaking again. “Liam and Zayn have been together since the night of my blind date, but I swear I didn’t find out until the night you had Eleanor over,” he adds when Louis gasps. “I came home that night just wanting to be alone with you, but I walk in on you leaning all over her,” Harry's eyes are accusing when he looks at Louis. “You looked so relaxed and happy. You hadn’t been that way with me since I stopped sleeping with you. It really hurt."

__

"I'm sorry," Louis apologizes softly, still trying to comprehend everything he’s been told so far.

__

"Yeah, me too,” Harry responds. Anyways, I didn’t want to go to a bar that night so I called Zayn to vent and he told me to come over.”

__

“Zayn and Liam are together?” Louis interrupts again, still a little shocked although he kind of suspected it.

__

“Yes they’re together and very much in love,” Harry responds patiently before continuing. “When I got to the flat Zayn saw how upset I was and he told me everything, including how the date was a setup. I’m not stupid, Louis. I already knew that because no one would purposefully set their friend up with a douche like that,” he says, and Louis has to give him a point there. “When Zayn told Liam about your plan he said if it were him he’d rather the person be straightforward instead going to those lengths. Zayn decided to be straightforward, and they’ve been together since."

__

“So how did Liam end up being the man of your dreams?” Louis asks.

__

Harry looks down at the floor again, studying his feet for a long minute. “When Zayn told me about your scheme he could only tell me that you said you missed our arrangement.”

__

Louis blushes because he knows he'd used much cruder words.

__

“Zayn said he suspected there was more to it than just sex for you, but it was only a guess, and I needed more than a guess, Louis,” Harry still hasn’t looked up. “We all know you'd stay in a bad relationship just so you wouldn’t have to bother starting a new one. Greg James ring any bells? I didn’t want to the guy you settled for. How did you used to put it? Your familiar shag,” he throws the words Louis used to say back at him, finally looking up from the floor. "I couldn’t be that guy for you anymore because it was killing me. When I said as much to Zayn and Liam, Niall popped out of the kitchen to suggest that we beat you at your own game by letting you see what it'd be like if I dated the perfect guy. He said if that didn’t get you to admit your feelings for me then you probably didn’t have any. I thought it was a stupid idea, but I was desperate. Liam was the obvious, but very reluctant choice because you would have seen right through Niall and Zayn, and long story short, here we are," Harry ends contritely, leaving Louis in more shock.

__

“So all of it was pretend and tonight was for me?” he questions, still processing everything, including the fact that his friends may even be better actors than him.

__

“All of it except Li’s promotion. That just gave us the reason to go to the bar. Everything else was a part of the plan, and before you get mad, Zayn kept his relationship with Liam a secret from you because they were waiting to tell their families. Then he had to keep it from you because of this. It's why we decided he had stay away from you. We knew he'd eventually confess to everything otherwise.”

__

“Zayn swore he wouldn’t tell anyone that we were sleeping together.” Louis is just a little hurt that Zayn told. He can only imagine how there other friends reacted at hearing the news.

__

“In all fairness to him, Liam and Niall both said they already knew about us. In Niall’s words _"You two are the most obvious fucks I've ever seen."_ Liam said he's put out more fires with less heat than the heat he’s seen between us," Harry says, blushing.

So much makes sense to Louis now. The intense looks and weird questions from Harry, the lack of chemistry between him and Liam, the apologetic sympathy always lurking somewhere in Liam’s eyes.

And Harry’s behavior tonight. Fuck!

__

Louis can’t even be angry at his friends for turning the tables on him, but he does have a bone to pick with the Irishman. He intends to make the little leprechaun squirm for coming up with the dumb charade.

__

“And yes, tonight was all for you," Harry regains Louis’ attention. “It was supposed to be our date.

__

“Does this mean that you maybe, kind of like me?” Louis teases, the happiness in his voice playful and hopeful.

__

“I think we can safely assume it goes way past like,” Harry responds dryly, but his eyes are sparkling.

__

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Louis charges.

__

“Because I would've always wondered if you settled on me because it was easier for you than starting over. I knew if you stepped out of your comfort zone enough to make the first move it would have to be real, and I did everything I could think of to get you to do it, but you still let me walk out of that fucking door tonight knowing full well what I supposedly intended. So now it’s my turn, Louis. How the fuck could you?” Harry asks accusingly.

__

Now that Louis knows Harry has feelings for him he’s confident enough to be honest. “Besides the last few months, especially the last few weeks, watching you walk out of the door tonight was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to suffer through. That’s saying a lot, Harry, but you’re the one who ended things, not me. I don't know what you expected me to do.”

__

“To be bold enough to tell me how you really feel for once,” Harry says, the hurt in his eyes is Louis’ undoing.

__

“Okay, how is this for how I really feel? You were never a rebound lay. I only ever went out with Greg because I thought you didn’t want me, and the night I caught him cheating, I only cried after you and I were in bed because I had just admitted to myself how I really felt about you. It's a very scary thing to realize you're in love with someone who doesn't love you back. I couldn't make a first move with anyone else, but it was different with you. I was just building up the courage to tell you how I felt when you told me you didn’t want me anymore,” Louis confesses painfully.

__

“Lou, that's not what I told you,” Harry's words sound like one long groan, and he reaches out to take Louis hand.

__

“I know, but that’s what I heard. It felt a lot like rejection, so I stayed quiet," Louis explains, uncomfortable with opening himself up so much.

__

“I’m sorry, I had no idea,” Harry sounds as raw as Louis feels. “We’re so stupid. Three wasted months,” he adds, his eyes full of remorse as he brings his hand up to caress the side of Louis’ face.

__

“Seven wasted months,” Louis contends, leaning into the touch.

__

“Two wasted years,” Harry challenges and wins.

__

“Okay, but I still have a first if you’re interested,” Louis says softly.

__

“What's that?” Harry asks absently as he runs his fingers through Louis’ fringe, gently moving the soft hair off of his forehead.

__

__

“I’m in love with you," Louis says just above a whisper.

__

Harry’s hand freezes in mid motion, and he stays quiet just long enough for Louis to start to doubt. “I’m glad to hear it because I’m in love with you too,” he finally responds, the shaky words drenched with feeling.

__

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way can you kiss me please?” Louis asks, so happy he thinks he might explode. He's positive he’ll combust when Harry leans in and connects their lips, his tongue immediately parting Louis’ mouth, seeking the heat inside. 

__

This they do well. They may be idiots when it comes to admitting their true feelings, but desire and need for each other they have perfected. The passionate fire is always instant.

__

Louis needs more so he leans forward and slots his head to better fit their mouths together, but Harry being on the table makes it uncomfortable and he breaks the kiss. He stands up, pulling Louis up with him, looking hotly into Louis’ eyes before bending down to deliver another earth shattering kiss.

__

The pleasure is so intense for Louis shakes from the carnality of it. It's natural for him to follow through by grinding against Harry's thigh, but he moans in disappointment when Harry pulls away from the kiss to lick at a spot on his jawline, “Harry,” Louis breathes, and Harry bites the same spot before reaching in between their bodies to palm Louis through the cutoffs.

__

“You’re mine, Louis. You belong to me,” Harry declares, needlessly staking a claim he already had.

__

“Always,” Louis surrenders anyway. Harry rewards him by pushing him down on the opposite end of the sofa.

__

It probably would have turned out to be one of the most erotic moments of the night except when Louis’ bottom makes contact with cushion a loud and long……….very long, fart like sound erupts.

__

_The giant whoopee cushion!! Fuck it all!_

__

“Sorry, I kind of forgot about this,” Louis grimaces after pulling the offensive piece of rubber from it's hiding place to throw it on the floor.

__

“You do realize a twelve year old could have come up with more mature ways to sabotage a date?” Harry sounds exasperated, but there's laughter in his eyes as he looks down at a blushing Louis.

__

“Have you ever actually tried going against your mum?” Louis answers with a question that to him should explain it all.

__

Harry smiles knowingly. “Tonight is only a mild example of why Gemma and I don’t involve her in our love lives. "Please tell me this is the last surprise of the night?” The guilty look on Louis’ face gives him away. “Louis.”

__

At least there's a little fond mixed in with the threatening sound this time.

__

“Shit,” Louis moans, and after taking a deep breath, he spills the rest of the insects. Literally. “So those aren’t just chocolate chips in the pancake batter you made up for in the morning,” he says timidly.

__

The whoopee cushion and the chocolate covered crickets, because that was just gross, had been the only things he’d actually disagreed with Anne over. She won of course, and even came up with the reason Louis told Harry why he should prepare the batter the night before instead of waiting til the next morning.

__

“Do I even want to know what you added, and I guess that means the pancakes won’t be extra light and fluffy by letting the batter sit overnight?”

__

“Probably no to both questions, but you would have to ask your mum about the fluffy bit as it was her idea,” Louis is already anticipating Harry’s next question so he cuts him off before he even asks. “There also may be a little… Okay, more than likely a lot of itching powder sprinkled all over your bed, and that’s it I swear,” he’s back to sounding timid even though his eyes are shining with humor.

__

“That stuff is actually real?” Harry sounds skeptical.

__

“It’s amazing the things you can find on Amazon,” Louis would know because he ran up quite a bill after ordering the items Anne requested off of the web retailer. The bill increased astronomically when had the items shipped overnight.

__

“I think mum's do for a very long talking to, but you Mr. Tomlinson, I don’t know if I should strangle you or kiss you senseless ,” Harry threatens fondly.

__

Of course Louis goes with the last option. “Kissing me senseless sounds really good.”

__

Harry moves to sit on the floor and kneels between Louis’ open legs, staring at him with something close to wonder in his eyes. “What am I going to do with you?” he asks.

__

Louis whispers in Harry’s ear just what he could do with him right there on the sofa.

__

“Fuck, Louis!” Harry gasps, basically repeating what Louis just whispered before turning his head to slide along Louis' face and latch onto his waiting mouth.

__

The kiss is hot and desperate, their tongues playing charge and retreat. Louis can’t get enough as he presses his mouth harder against Harry's, but Harry owns the kiss. The demand in every thrust and slide of his tongue is undeniable, and it causes both of them groan as the kiss becomes messier and wilder.

__

“You’re so beautiful,” Harry rasps when he pulls back. He grabs the bottom of Louis’ tee, pulling it up to make his objective obvious.

__

Louis holds his arms up to help, and Harry drops the shirt on the floor. He pulls Louis forward with a hand behind his neck, and Louis holds his head almost a painful angle to give Harry better access when he starts sucking on the pulse on his neck.

__

They always avoided leaving marks on each other in the past, but as hard as Harry's biting him now Louis knows there'll be a bruise this time, and if possible it turns him on even more. If it hasn't disappeared by Monday he'll just have to wear a turtleneck because there's no way he's stopping Harry when it feels so good.

__

Harry pushes him back on the sofa and starts to trail hot kisses over Louis’ chest and stomach. He pays special attention to Louis’ belly button, pushing in and out of the small crevice with his tongue.

__

Louis can’t hold back whimpers that turn to a needy moan when Harry unzips his shorts and strokes him through his boxers. When Harry tugs Louis quickly lifts his hips while Harry drags the shorts and boxers all the way down. Instead of feeling exposed it only makes Louis harder to be totally naked with Harry still dressed. He shudders when Harry runs his hand up and down his length causing more liquid to pool at the head.

__

“Want to taste you so bad, Lou. Always so sweet on my tongue."

__

Louis lets out a strangled moan because Harry seems intent on denying both of them the pleasure of acting out his words.

__

“Touch yourself,” Harry commands, and Louis opens his eyes to find Harry pulling his own shirt from the waist of his jeans.

__

Louis absently strokes his erection while watching Harry undo the buttons on the heart covered shirt. His strokes get harder and faster when Harry slides the zipper on his jeans, but before pushing the tight pants down, Harry fishes a packet of lube and a condom out of his back pocket.

__

Louis looks at him with puzzlement in his desire wrecked eyes.

__

“I fantasized about bending you over the kitchen table, thought I’d better be prepared,” Harry explains, and Louis moans as he pictures the scene in his head. He thinks maybe they should start leaving the little packets in every room in the flat, and by the time Harry's fully undressed Louis is almost at the point of no return, mostly from the sight of Harry's nude form than from the jerky movements of his hand.

__

Not surprising, Harry's extremely hard and Louis instinctively reaches out to touch the rigidness when Harry stands between his legs again. He has one hand on himself and the other moving back and forth over Harry’s length. He drags his thumb across the moist tip causing Harry to groan and push into Louis’ sweaty hand.

__

“You owe me,” Harry forces out, his voice rough and needy.

__

It sends chills all over Louis’ body. He knows exactly what Harry's referring to, and he needs no further urging. He runs his tongue over his lips before placing tiny kisses over the head of Harry’s cock, and he opens his mouth just enough to take the swollen tip in. Louis ignores his own need as he places both of his hands just under Harry’s bum to bring him closer, and once he’s in the right position, Louis opens his mouth to take in more of the rigid length.

__

Harry’s hands are on Louis’ shoulders, and Louis knows when the pressure increases, Harry's asking for more so he gives it to him. He alternates between moving his tongue over and under the stiff to taking as much of it in his mouth as he can with hollowed cheeks and wet drags.

__

“Shit, Louis,” Harry gasps, squeezing his shoulders harder.

__

Louis begins to move faster, moving his head back and forth at a pace meant to push Harry close to the edge. His cheeks are uncomfortably drawn in as he continues, and he’s just about to take Harry all the way down when he feels a tug at the back of his head, but he ignores the pull to suck harder. He's rewarded with a grunt and a thrust from Harry before the tugging begins again.

__

“I really need you to stop now, babe,” Harry says, sounding pleading and determined.

__

Louis is so used to following Harry’s sexual demands he immediately pulls off, wiping his hand across his mouth and waits.

__

“On your feet.” Harry orders before grabbing the condom and the lube off the coffee table. He lies down on the sofa before opening and rolling the condom over his length, and when he’s done he looks up at Louis. “Gonna ride me.”

__

Louis rasps eagerly, “Yes, please,” even though it wasn't a question.

__

There's just enough room on the sofa for them to be comfortable, and Harry gives Louis the lube when he's straddled him. He holds two of his fingers out for Louis to squeeze some of the gel on. He uses his other hand to pull Louis down for a hungry kiss.

__

Louis is ready for the assault, quickly opening his mouth, and as they play a game of dueling tongues he feels one of Harry’s fingers at his entrance. He pushes against the digit, not giving Harry time to be gentle, hissing hotly when Harry begins to move it around.

__

Soon one finger’s not enough, and Louis is begging for more. The hunger eating at him is so intense he’s dizzy with it, and when Harry goes to add a third finger he's more than ready. “Need you now, Haz,” he whines against Harry’s mouth.

__

“I know, babe. Just let me finish.”

__

“No, now Harry,” Louis says though clenched teeth.

__

It's not often, but he can be demanding as well, and the desperation in his voice must penetrate Harry’s own desire muddled brain because he nods and pulls his fingers out.

__

Louis impatiently picks up the opened packet of lubricant and squeezes the rest onto his hand before reaching behind him to slick up the condom Harry has on. As soon as he’s done, Louis turns back to look Harry in the eyes as he slides back so that Harry’s hardness is nudging at his opening.

__

Louis frowns in concentration and pushes back little by little, giving himself time to adjust to the stretch with each move, and once he's seated all the way he takes a deep shuddering breath before taking Harry’s hands and placing them on his hips.

__

“M’ready.” For the second time tonight Louis is surprised at how steady his voice is, this time considering he’s a jittery mass of need on the inside.

__

Harry’s grip tightens and he pushes up once , retreats and repeats the move. He moves faster when Louis throws his head back, but it’s still not fast enough.

__

“Faster, Harry. Need more,” Louis pleads, moving his hips in a way to show Harry exactly what he needs. He feels like he’s coming undone.

__

Harry holds Louis down before he begins to thrust with a force Louis hasn't experienced with him before. Harry’s hitting his sweet spot over and over again, relentless in his pursuit of a climactic pinnacle.

__

“Harry, please,” Louis doesn't know what he’s begging for, but Harry solves it for him when he moves one his hands from Louis’ hip to wrap it around Louis’ very hard and leaking erection.

__

“Come here. Want your mouth,” Harry demands in between moans and hisses, but the powerful pounding along with the hand grasping him tightly is too good to take the risk so Louis stays upright, unwilling to lose the feeling because he knows the minute Harry starts talking into his mouth he’ll come.

__

He’s not ready to come yet.

__

“Louis,” Harry moans. It's a plea and an order.

__

Unable to deny himself or Harry any longer, Louis leans in to give Harry his mouth, and when he opens his eyes he looks directly into Harry’s, finding lust, need, and something that looks very much like adoration in them.

__

__

I love you so much,” Louis’ voice is wrecked and honest. The words feel tangible and alive, making him forget about everything but Harry’s eyes and his own heartbeat. He’s unaware that he’s crying until a tear falls on the side of Harry’s mouth.

__

Suddenly two hands on his hips again and Harry’s moving franticly as he licks into Louis mouth. Then the pounding stops and the hands holding Louis still become like vise grips as Harry starts to just writhe into him. “Louis,” he gasps and then he’s coming, pushing up into Louis like he’s trying to meld their bodies together.

__

Louis forgets about his own urgent need to come as he kisses Harry through his orgasm. Out of all of the times they've had sex this is the first time Harry lost it first, and it's a powerful and thrilling feeling for Louis.

__

He's still high on the power trip when Harry wraps his arms around his middle, holding on tight while he flips them over so that Louis is on his back. He reaches in between their bodies to hold the condom in place as he slips from Louis’ body.

__

Then Louis barely has time to blink before Harry's kissing and licking down his chest. Although he knows what’s coming, Louis is still unprepared for the feel of Harry’s lips around him, the wet and hot sensation causing him to buck up from the sofa and push deeper into Harry’s mouth.

__

Harry’s undeterred. He wastes no time with teasing, but goes right into sucking Louis off with fast and determined movements.

__

Louis is already close and it takes only a few glides of Harry's hot tongue along with the up and down motion of his head before Louis is coming blindingly hard. Harry stays down until he’s sucked Louis dry, only moving off when Louis begins to pull at his head. He kisses his way back up Louis’ body, stopping when he reaches eye level. This time Louis understands what the tender look is.

__

He's immediately humbled by it. “Harry,” he breathes, and he attempts to wrap his arms around Harry’s back, but his bones are doing that thing where they turn to liquid after sex.

__

“Louis, I swear I’ll strangle you if you say thank you. Or that was incredible or amazing or some other stupid shit,” Harry rolls off Louis and onto his side, taking up the small amount of space left on the sofa.

__

“Just so you know, I only said those things because I couldn’t say I love you,” Louis starts out teasing, but ends the sentence sounding regretful.

__

“Would have saved us both quite a bit of trouble if you had,” Harry smiles before leaning in to brush his lips across Louis’.

__

Louis silently agrees as he returns the sweet kiss. Somehow he manages to turn on his side so that he can press into Harry, and when they break apart he buries his head in the curve of Harry’s neck. 

__

“You’re stuck with me now, and by now, I probably mean until one of us kills over,” Harry says softly into Louis’ ear.

__

“Fine by me,” Louis mumbles. “Besides, I hate to think of what Anne Cox would plan if you tried to let go of me now.

__

“Speaking of plans, I have more in store for you tonight, so don’t’ get comfortable,” Harry responds, the suggestiveness in the words causing goose bumps to pop up on Louis’ skin. “Back in a jiff,” he adds before getting up from the sofa.

__

Louis assumes he's going to dispose of the condom. He waits with his eyes closed, anticipating the other plans Harry has in store for him.

__

“Up and at em’, mate,” Harry interrupts Louis’ naughty thoughts, and when Louis opens his eyes, he's standing beside the sofa in all of his naked splendor and holding out his hand.

__

Louis allows Harry pull him to his feet, and he gasps in pleasant surprise when Harry jerks him up against naked his body.

__

“Have I told you just how much I love you? Because I do, you know?” Harry asks while bending his head, his eyes holding the undeniable truth of his declaration.

__

Louis meets him halfway, and they kiss tenderly without exploration, both of them content to just enjoy the perfectness of their mouths touching.

__

“I love everything about you,” Harry says softly after pulling away to stare Louis in the eyes. “I love your smile. I love that your eyes are the most magnificent shade of blue and how they light up when you laugh and how soft they get when you're sleepy. I love your sense of humor and the sound of your voice. I love how close you are to my mum, although you're both certifiably mental. I even love how you can’t cook or clean, and how all your attempts end in massive fails or near catastrophes.”

__

Louis laughs through the tears falling down his face. "Haz." 

__

“Shh, not done,” Harry places a finger over Louis’ mouth, his own eyes wet. “I love that you're my best friend, Louis, and no matter what you always put our friendship first. I love how caring you are to everyone around you; your family and friends, your students.”

__

Harry chokes up and his eyes fill with more tears. He trudges on when the first one falls. “I love how safe I feel when I’m with you and how your touch soothes me like nothing else can. I really love how I can wreck you with a few dirty words, and how seeing you wrecked wrecks me even more. I love how you curl into me when you’re asleep. I love listening to eighties love songs with you and watching you get drunk off cheap red wine. Most of all, even though you only said it for the first time tonight, I love it when you tell me you love me. You could say it a million times a day, and I probably wouldn’t ever get tired of hearing it."

__

Louis is touched beyond belief. He knows nothing he says right now would even come close to comparing to Harry’s heartfelt words. So he doesn’t even try to.

__

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to match that, but just so you know I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk five hundred more to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door,” Louis’ smile is mischievous and full of joy. It gets wider when Harry burst into laughter.

__

“That was really deep, and I'm sure the Proclaimers would be proud of how you just used their song, but I think you should've saved it for our wedding vows,” Harry says, still grinning brilliantly.

__

Louis inhales loudly as he looks at Harry with questioning eyes. “Do you really see this going anywhere else?” Harry asks, more serious now. “Besides we should be legal before we give my mum those grandkids, don’t you think?”

__

Louis actually thinks Harry asks the most wonderful questions, and his heart is almost full to bursting because of the last two. “Don’t leave out my mum. I think Anne has roped her into the madness as well.”

__

“Not Jay too,” Harry groans, “Those two together won’t give us a moment of peace.”

__

Louis smiles at Harry’s faux distress before his facial expression turns serious. “I would you know,” he says softly.

__

“You would what?” Harry looks puzzled.

__

“I would walk a thousand miles as long as I knew every step was leading me back to you. If you were ever lost at sea I’d sail the world to find you. If you vanished in the desert I’d comb it inch by inch on my hands and knees until I found you because the thing is you’re my home and my heart, and if you were lost I’d be lost too. I’m so in love with you, Harry, and you'll never know how sorry I am that it took me so long to tell you."

__

“Louis,” Harry sighs, and pulls Louis into his arms. “Okay you win,” he adds before taking Louis' hand and leading him out of the room.

__

__

“Only because you’re the prize,” Louis responds when they’re in the hallway leading to their bedrooms.

__

Harry stops and none too gently pushes Louis against the wall. “Fuck, I think sappy Louis really turns me on,” he says before going for his apparent favorite spot on Louis' neck.

__

“Harry, I swear if my back makes contact with one more hard surface tonight I’m gonna rip your dick off with my bare hands.” The words are supposed to sound stern, but they're really more of a moan.

__

Harry grabs one of Louis’ hands and guides it to his growing erection, moving it back and forth himself. “If you do that I won’t be able to bury myself so deep in you we won’t know where I begin and you end,” Harry mumbles against Louis' throat, pushing hard against his hand.

__

Louis thinks he'll probably never be able to reconcile bedroom Harry with real world Harry, but it’s okay because he loves them both equally. “Put like that, I think it’s safe to say your dick is secure for the time being,” he funs, and tilts his head to give Harry more access to his neck.

__

“Want you bad,” Harry moans as he licks a stripe from one side to the other.

__

“Same,” Louis sighs as he brings both hands up to tangle in the hair at the back of Harry’s head, and suddenly the wall is necessary because the want is consuming him and making him weak. He tugs on Harry’s curls to get him to lift his head from his neck, pulling him right back down so that he can attach his lips to the much fuller ones.

__

“Harry,” Louis whimpers, breaking away from the messy kiss. “You said something about plans," he adds, and Harry closes his eyes and presses his forehead against Louis’ for a good minute.

__

“Come on then,” he says, breathing harsh. "Thanks for reminding me.” Harry stops at his bedroom door, pushing it open after turning the knob.

__

Louis is so turned on it barely registers where they are. He's facing the bed, shivering with need, and after closing the door, Harry comes to stand behind him, placing his hands on Louis’ hips. “Gonna make you feel so good,” he whispers against Louis' ear. 

__

“I know,” Louis responds, leaning back into Harry’s chest. "You always do."

__

“On the bed for me now,” Harry orders, pushing Louis forward, but the assistance is unnecessary as Louis is already taking the steps needed to get him closer to whatever Harry has planned. Once he makes it over to the bed HE sits down and looks expectantly into Harry’s eyes, waiting for the next demand because he really, really loves domineering Harry. “You know the drill, Louis. On your back,” he sounds impatient, but the heat in his eyes says something else entirely.

__

The duvet and the top sheet are already drawn back so Louis simply lies back before lifting his feet off the floor and bracing them on the mattress to help him slide to the middle.

__

“Move on over and make room for me, babe,” Harry says.

__

Louis thinks he has plenty enough room already, but he just needs Harry on the bed with him so he complies. Harry moves to the side of the bed and begins to slowly pump his own erection, never taking his eyes away from Louis’. “Tell me what you want, Lou.”

__

"I want you, Haz. So much it's hurting," Louis pleads, desire so strong it's making him ache.

__

“Come a little closer and show me how much,” Harry responds hotly, his eyes trekking Louis’ every move.

__

Louis is not sure if he likes this game, especially when he slides back over close to edge of the bed and Harry quickly takes a few steps backwards. “Stop teasing, Harry,” he begs.

__

“You do know you’re going to have to pay for ruining all of my hard work tonight, don’t you?” Louis nods frantically, agreeing to anything to get Harry to stop teasing and join him on the bed, but suddenly he has to resist the urge to scratch a spot that's itching on his bum. Only because it wouldn't look too sexy right now.

__

“And you do know a blow job is nowhere near enough payment for setting me up with that prick, right? I mean the man literally fucked his spaghetti with a breadstick, Louis.”

__

“I'm really sorry, Haz. Now just come here,” Louis continues to beg, ignoring particularly itchy spots on his back and his right calf as well.

__

“And you do know that you’re on my bed, don’t you, babe?”

__

Louis closes his eyes out of frustration, wondering what the fuck that has to do with anything, but he plays along anyway. “Yes, Harry. I…,” his voice trails off as a prickling sensation along with the itching begins to spread over the entirety of his backside.

__

__Shit! _Damn!_ Fuck!_ Fucking Motherfucker!_ The itching powder!

Louis’ eyes pop open to find Harry looking down at him with a huge smile on his face and his eyes sparkling with humor. “You bastard, Harry!” he yells, leaping off of the bed and causing Harry to bend over with laughter.

Once Louis is on his feet he uses both hands to reach behind him and claw at whatever part on the back of his body he can reach. It doesn't help that his palms have started to itch as well.

Harry collapses on the floor, laughing hysterically when he looks up to find Louis frenziedly scratching both his bum cheeks. “You really need to get your memory checked, Louis. Hey, do you maybe want me to fix pancakes for breakfast in the morning?” Harry goads, and goes right back to laughing so hard he has to clutch his stomach, but Louis isn't paying any attention to the beautiful lunatic he’s in love with because he’s desperately trying to reach an unattainable spot on his back. He quickly decides a shower, and ironically, the bottle of aloe vera he purchased for Harry and Liam for this exact reason might help.

“At least we know it works.” Harry drawls, still enjoying himself a little too much for Louis’ likes.

“Fucker!” he growls, and without thinking makes a sweeping move that any living footie player would be envious of.

The satisfaction Louis gets from Harry’s, _Shit! Ow, Lou! That’s sure to leave a mark!_ doesn’t last long because the itching is getting worse. He ignores the sack of human flesh that's getting up from the floor in favor of heading to the bedroom door, really hoping the kick to Harry’s thigh does leave a bruise.

“Wait, babe. Where're you going?” Harry asks, following Louis out of the bedroom.

“To take a shower, and don’t call me babe. Don’t talk to me at all, you arsehole,” Louis mutters angrily, but at least there's a smile on his face. He of all people can find the humor in what Harry did. He even thinks he might laugh at it later (much later), but first he has to stop the fucking irritating itch.

“How about I wash your back, and when I’m finished I’ll suck you off,” Harry offers soothingly, but the laughter is still in his voice.

Louis may be a tad bit irritated and a whole lot itchy, but neither is enough to make him turn down a blowjob. “That’ll buy you one babe and a couple of breathy moans, but you still can’t talk to me."

“Hey, I’m trying to be appeasing,” Harry sounds mockingly affronted as he enters the bathroom behind Louis.

“Appease my arse, Harry,” Louis says flippantly as he turns on the shower.

Never one to disobey a demand, although he’s the one usually making them, Harry does exactly as ordered. He does it so well that by the time they finally fall asleep in ,Louis’ bed this time, Louis thinks appeased just might be his new middle name.

Harry just thinks he'd really like for Louis to start giving more orders.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Couldn't decide if it should have a fluffy or funny ending. Went for funny. Really hope it turned out okay.


End file.
